Tips on Cybersecurity for Students and Teachers – Al-Fanar Media

Students should feel comfortable sharing their ideas in the virtual reality without fear or hesitation. This cannot be done without awareness and good knowledge of the basics of cybersecurity.

Narimane Hadj-Hamou Founder of the Center for Learning Innovations and Customized Knowledge Solutions (CLICKS)

Students should feel comfortable sharing their ideas in the virtual reality without fear or hesitation, she said. This cannot be done without awareness and good knowledge of the basics of cybersecurity.

However, Mohamed Tita, an Egyptian scholar specialized in network and technical security, distinguishes between the duties and the digital security measures to be followed by educational institutions and those of individuals, whether they are professors or students.

For students and professors, Tita stresses the need to avoid clicking on anonymous links, the need to use an encryption system to open some suspicious websites, always using a screen lock to prevent others from accessing their device and viewing its contents, as well as the need to use a strong password to secure data and information.

On the other hand, Tita believes that educational institutions that manage digital infrastructure have greater responsibilities in ensuring safety. This requires them to take into consideration security while designing a technical strategy for the programs they use or platforms they launch for their students, along with developing a plan to deal with potential attacks. (See a related article, Arab Universities Are Vulnerable to Cyberattacks, Experts Say.)

As for instant-messaging applications that students and professors are advised to rely on in online education, Tita said that Signal is the most secure program, as it is an open-source free application that does not require an email for registration. Tita also advises using Jitsi for video and audio conferencing. He prefers it over Zoom because it is open source and was developed by a non-for-profit group, and because users can use it on their computers or mobile phones from a browser without the need to install any software.

Here is a list of the top 10 tips for enhancing cybersecurity in a distance-education experience:

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Tips on Cybersecurity for Students and Teachers - Al-Fanar Media