School exams are one of the biggest sources of stress for students. Many times, something can go wrong and the results are not good. It has happened to almost everyone. This makes some students try harder, while others decide to change their goals. But there is a third category of students, who use other methods to succeed in exams.
In recent years, an “underground industry” has developed, the dark school web, where students can participate in forums , find videos showing ways to hack the school system, or even find fake certificates and diplomas on the black market.
Let's see exactly what the students are doing and how schools and colleges can protect themselves.
Access to grades
Many schools, following the dictates of the modern technological era, use online platforms, which provide information about school activities, homework, assessments and grades, while also enabling communication between parents and teachers. However, many platforms are available on the Internet, which makes them vulnerable.
One of the most popular school platforms is PowerSchool. PowerSchool has a vulnerability (CVE-2007-1044) that could allow a hacker to capture the contents of the admin folder via a specially crafted URL.
However, this vulnerability does not allow an attacker to bypass authentication or gain full access to information. This can be done by using credentials account
The PowerSchool platform, as well as many other platforms, is protected only by usernames and passwords.
In March 2019, some students hacked the PowerSchool platform to change their grades. Since many people use the same passwords across multiple accounts, it is highly likely that the platform was compromised through stolen or reused credentials.
Hacking services and fake diplomas on the black markets
With a simple search on the internet, one can find offers for hacking services and fake certificates, diplomas and degrees from any institution. The process is very simple. All that is required is to fill out an order form and provide contact details.
Improving security in education
So, how can schools, colleges, universities, and even employers protect themselves from scammers and fake diplomas?
Regarding certificates and diplomas, companies should verify their authenticity by contacting the institution. If there is no record of the student, then the degree is likely fake.
Regarding school online platforms, some measures should be taken to protect staff, students and the information itself:
- Introduce two-factor authentication, especially when it concerns access to files that contain grades and evaluations.
- Existence of separate wireless networks. It is good to have one network for staff and another for students/learners. Also, a good idea to have a third isolated network, exclusively for visitors.
- Introduction of strong passwords for staff and training of employees for proper protection of their accounts.
- Use of a reliable security solution for full protection against a wide range of threats.
