Course Provider Pain Point #7: Cyber crime threats

Course providers have seen a rise in cyber crime and ransom ware attacks in recent years. These breaches can lead to serious consequences - especially where learner data is involved. Because the ordinary person on the street is more aware of cyber attacks, criminals are turning to small businesses who do not have appropriate systems and safeguards in place.

With each year we encounter more course providers that have suffered huge losses as a result of cyber crime.  Here is a list of attacks that course providers are most likely to fall victim to:

• Password hacking
• Bogus emails asking for personal details
• Ransom ware attacks
• DOS attacks (Denial of service)

As cyber crime evolves, course providers must take steps to protect their business and their learners. Operating as a course provider with a website that is riddled with holes and security flaws is negligent and could result in fines under the General Data Protection Regulations. You have a responsibility to your learners to protect their data from the moment it comes into your possession. The penalties for GDPR non-compliance can amount to up to €20 million, or 4% of annual global turnover – whichever is greater.

What can you do?

Most cyber attacks can be prevented by following these steps:

• Choose strong passwords

• Install security software on your computers.

• Keep all security software and operating systems up to date.

• Choose a reputable website and booking software provider.

How can we help?

At CourseCo we understand the importance of keeping the platform you're using ultra-secure. We carry out regular security checks on our platform to ensure that we stop attacks instantly. Because we developed our platform ourselves (our development team is based in Limerick) we have full visibility of our platform and can spot threats and weaknesses in advances of attacks occurring.

Here’s a few of the main features that make our platform stand out when it comes to security:

1. Cloud based

Our cloud based software uses secure servers that are designed to prevent hostile attacks. While some people feel that a cloud solution is perceived as unsafe - storing information on our secure server is likely much safer than storing information on the laptop that you carry around with you that’s connected to non-secure WIFI at times. 

 2. Anti-Virus

Our Learning Management System is equipped with anti-virus software that helps safeguard your user data and eLearning content from all threats. We both automatically and manually scan our platform regularly.

 3. Data Back-Ups

The CourseCo system automatically backs up your data and allows you to manually save the most current version of your website and eLearning content. This means that even if there was a breach on your site your encrypted data is still secure and away from prying eyes.

4. App Security

With more and more learners using their smartphones to manage their learning from any location, we have designed a dedicated and custom branded app for our course provider clients. The app includes data encryption, mobile user authentication, and anti-virus/spam protection.

At CourseCo we want to help course providers run their business more efficiently and cost effectively. Our platform features and in-built tools can help reduce your costs and grow your learner base. If you’re interested in learning more please connect with us on social media or call our product team on +353 61 513 030 today! We can’t wait to hear from you!