pre-conference tutorials - Association for the Advancement of ...

PRE-CONFERENCE TUTORIALSMonday, June 26, Afternoon, 1:30 PM - 5:00 PMT6: Security and Dependability in E-LearningEdgar R. Weippl, Vienna University of Technology, AustriaAbstract: (www.ifs.tuwien.ac.at/~weippl/edmedia_security.pdf) Considering theenormous costs of creating and maintaining courses, it is surprising that security isnot yet considered an important issue by most people involved, including teachersand students. Unlike traditional security research, which has largely been driven bymilitary requirements to enforce secrecy, in the realm of e-learning it is not theinformation itself that has to be protected against unauthorized access but, the wayit is presented. In most cases the knowledge contained in e-learning programs ismore or less widely available; therefore, the asset is not the information itself butthe hypermedia presentation used to convey it. Dependability includes most securityrequirements but does no longer focus on confidentiality, a requirement that isconsidered not that important by many teachers and students. In this tutorial webuild on the findings published in our book "Security in E-Learning" (to be publishedby Springer NY in 2005) and extend them to include aspects of dependability.Objectives: After attending the tutorial the audience will be able to answer followingquestions:• Authors-Why is security relevant when creating content?-Which kind of threats are there?-Which assets should I protect?-How can I protect the aforementioned assets?-Are there ways to impede illegal use through smart design?-How much additional effort will be required?• Teachers-Why is security relevant when using e-learning?-Which kind of threats are there?-Which assets should I protect?-Does standardization (of e.g. exams) undermine the freedom of academia?-How can I determine the level of risk exposure of my exam questions?-How can I make my lecture „secure“? Will it have a negative impact on my“honest” students?-How much additional effort will be required?• Managers-Which organization issues are relevant to security?-How is security influenced by* infrastructure* buildings and floor layouts,* organizational workflows(e.g. how are exam results handled to eventually affect grades?)-How can a manager make a good case for security so that teachers, authorsand students will support him?-How much additional effort will be required?Outline: According to the wishes of the audience following topics will be covered;clearly, all topics will focus on specifics of Web-based E-Learning• Introduction to Security• Security Risk Analysis• Security Patterns• Common Security Weaknesses• Techniques to protect digital content• Privacy, Feedback and Assessment of Students, Authors and TeachersThis tried-and-true tutorial provides attendants with a comprehensive overview ofsecurity issues relevant to e-learning. Even though security has become paramountin many other areas of Web-based business, research in e-learning is still hardlyconcerned about the issues of security and privacy.A similar tutorial (Security in E-Learning) has already been presented at manyconferences, including EDMEDIA 2003-2005 and E-Learn 2005. Based the feedbackof these tutorials and ongoing research work this year's tutorial will offer insightto recent advances in computer security and include aspects of dependability.The tutorial web site is available at http://www.e-learning-security.org.Prerequisites:• Authors creating e-learning content.• Teachers using e-learning systems.• Managers responsible for the selection and maintenance of e-learning programs.Intended Experience Level: AdvancedInstructor Qualifications: Dr. Edgar R. Weippl is assistant professor at theVienna University of Technology and CEO of Security Research. His research focuseson applied concepts of IT-security and e-learning. Edgar has taught several tutorialson security issues in e-learning at international conferences, including ED-MEDIA 2003-2005 and E-Learn 2005. In 2005, he published Security in E-Learning with Springer.After graduating with a Ph.D. from the Vienna University of Technology, Edgarworked for two years in a research startup. He then spent one year teaching as anassistant professor at Beloit College, WI. From 2002 to 2004, while with the softwarevendor ISIS Papyrus, he worked as a consultant for an HMO (EmpireBlueCross BlueShield) in New York, NY and Albany, NY, and for Deutsche Bank(PWM) in Frankfurt, Germany.An extended CV including all publications is available atwww.ifs.tuwien.ac.at/~weipplTutorials are indicated by a T# and have a lecture/demonstration format. We advise early registration for all Tutorials due to limited space available.10