Cybersecurity Threats in Online Education Platforms

Abstract

Online education platforms now hold identity records, assessment data, and payment information for very large learner populations, which makes them attractive targets for attackers. This study examines the prevalence, distribution, and drivers of cybersecurity threats across 18 online education platforms using a convergent multi-source design. Twelve months of confirmed incident records (1,486 incidents), a vulnerability assessment aligned with the OWASP Top 10, and a survey of 312 students, instructors, and IT staff were analyzed. Phishing and credential-based attacks accounted for half of all incidents (50.0%). Platforms enforcing multi-factor authentication (MFA) recorded a mean of 8.0 account takeover incidents, compared with 25.0 for platforms without it (p < .001). Incident experience differed by user role, χ²(2) = 10.99, p = .004. Password reuse was associated with higher odds of reporting an incident (OR = 2.14), whereas recent security training was associated with lower odds (OR = 0.58). Incidents peaked at the start of term and during assessment periods. The findings indicate that identity and human factors, rather than novel technical exploits, drive most exposure, and that enforced MFA, centralized logging, and tested response plans offer the clearest measurable benefit.