In a recent survey, cybersecurity firm Kaspersky, identified the technical challenges families faced during mandatory remote learning last year.
Surge in devices
To provide their children with the devices they needed for online classes, almost half the families (41%) with two or more children had to buy or rent additional devices. 48% of the children in the United Arab Emirates used smartphones for remote learning.
Three out of four children (71%) experienced technical difficulties connecting to online lessons. The majority (88%) received help from their parents to get their devices working. However, 16% of students resolved technical issues on their own
“The mass enforced transition to remote learning brought about difficulties not only in terms of mastering the curriculum, but also technical issues. Many families had to purchase additional devices or borrow them from friends or the school if it offered this option, as well as install programs and regularly solve internet issues. This proved difficult for parents and kids alike. But I’d like to hope that the experience gained from deep immersion in the online world will help us take a fresh look at the traditional offline learning format and use more effective digital tools,” comments Andrey Sidenko, Head of Kaspersky’s Online Child Safety Department.
Security threats
Many students had to install additional programs on their devices. 60% used new video conferencing services, and 48% downloaded interactive simulators and other educational programs. Some parents (26%) found it necessary to start using a security solution.
As the demand for digital tools increased, the educational sector continues to attract the attention of cybercriminals. According to Kaspersky research, the most popular lure used to be Zoom. This is not surprising given that Zoom is the most popular platform for virtual meeting. The second most popular was Moodle, followed by Google Meet. The number of users that encountered threats disguised as popular online learning/video conference platforms increased for all but one platform—Google Classroom.
The findings echo other reports that suggest that companies are facing significant security challenges with regard to remote work.
