Paper 4

Abstract
Many e-learning institutions are rushing into

adopting ICT without carefully planning and
understanding any related security concerns. E
learning is a new method of learning which
ultimately depends on the Internet in its execution.
The Internet has become the venue for a new set of
illegal activities, and the e-learning environment is
now exposed to such threats. In this paper, e
learning context, definition, characteristics,
development, growth, benefits and challenges are all
elaborated upon. This paper discusses the security
elements required to be implemented within e
learning environments. In addition, the paper
explains the situation and existing research relating
to security in e-learning. Furthermore, information
security management is suggested to contribute to
preparing a secured e-learning environment.
1. Introduction
The growth of Information and Communication
Technology (ICT) has significant effects on all
people around the world. With this growth, people
are able to connect with each other, especially
through the Internet. These days, the Internet itself is
drastically varying the provisions of services and
goods, simply because of its features: immediacy,
openness, ubiquity, and global reach. Moreover, e
services have been introduced widely; thus, the
education industry has fully detained its new
potential as long life learning tools from the Internet
features, such as in the form of the web application,
for example. This industry is poised to become one
of the largest sectors in the world economy.
The development of e-learning has subsequently
led to a new way of learning and, at the same time,
has given equal opportunities to everyone to become
learners. With such methods of learning now
available, it is said that information or knowledge
can be reached at fingertip level, and thus enable
students to excel in their studies. However, despite
the Internet as a place to obtain all necessary
information and knowledge, it has also become the
venue for a new set of illegal activities. Information
on the Internet is continuously exposed to security
threats. As a consequence of e-learning having to
depend on the Internet or, specifically, mostly via
web applications, the e-learning environment has
also become affected by security threats. With this in
consideration, this paper aims to explore the wider
context of information security issues and threats,
and the potential of information security
management in reducing them.
The first part of this paper discusses the e
learning context — the definition, characteristic,
development, growth, benefit and the challenges —
all of which consider security in e-learning as a new
challenge in implementing the e-learning
environment. Moreover, web applications are the
medium used to aid the majority of online services
and, hence, have become the prime target of Internet
attacks.
The second part of this paper looks at information
security in e-learning which has been neglected in
research. Many e-learning institutions are rushing
into adopting ICT without carefully planning and
understanding the ever-present security concerns.
Issues such as legitimate users, course content
reliability, and accessibility (including the
admissibility and availability), as well as other
considerations, all need to be carefully addressed in
order to ensure the learning process can effectively
take place. Lastly, the paper will discuss the potential
of information security management to be
implemented in the context of e-learning, in order to
prepare a secured e-learning environment.
Conclusion
E-learning has grown and is expanding at a very
rapid pace. The benefits it offers increase the number
of e-learning users. The functionality of e-learning
continues to expand and relies more and more
heavily on the Internet. However, the Internet has
become a place of illegal activities, which therefore
expose e-learning to threats. Ensuring the availability
and integrity of information and material within e-learning environments requires
that countermeasures,
such as security technology hardware and software,
need to be implemented. Nevertheless, it is
considered insufficient. Moreover, IMS is needed in
order to ensure the security of the e-learning
environment. ISM for e-learning is no different to
other e-services; however, because of the flexibility
factor offered by e-learning and different user
behaviors,
e-learning
requires a
security
management framework which can act as a guide in
helping the e-learning provider (institutions) in
managing the information security within the e-learning environment. Furthermore,
the combination
of ISM and the current information security
technology used will provide better results in the
success of security implementation.

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Abstract

Many e-learning institutions are rushing into

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