As the digitization of education intensifies, cybersecurity has become a vital concern, particularly for Open and Distance Learning (ODL) systems that rely heavily on online platforms to deliver instructional content and manage academic resources. This study investigates the effectiveness of cybersecurity measures implemented within the University of Port Harcourt’s ODL system, with a focus on protecting online educational resources. The research further examines specific vulnerabilities and challenges affecting the cybersecurity infrastructure, such as user awareness, policy implementation, and technical capacity. Adopting a quantitative research approach, data were collected via structured questionnaires distributed to ODL users, and analyzed using descriptive statistics, specifically the mean. The findings indicate that while users express moderate confidence in the presence of basic cybersecurity measures, they also highlight critical shortcomings, including insufficient training, unclear security policies, and irregular system audits. These deficiencies pose significant risks to the safety and integrity of online educational resources. Based on these findings, the study concludes that although foundational security measures exist, a lack of strategic coordination and user engagement weakens overall cybersecurity effectiveness. Consequently, recommendations are made for institutional actors to prioritize awareness training, policy dissemination, continuous audits, and resource allocation to strengthen the ODL platform's security posture.
Chidinma et al. (Mon,) studied this question.