Data Security And Protection: A Mechanism For Managing Data Theft and Cybercrime in Online Platforms Of Educational Institutions

Advancement in technology has brought changes in educational institutions that leads to the adoption of several information system and online platforms. Students and staff were sharing important data through these platforms. This has exposed the institution to cybercrime activities by both internal and external agents of malicious users. Their motive is to gain access to the platforms in order to data related to fees and other academic records, or to distort the entire system to steal the data with the aim of committing an illicit transactions or activities. This paper aimed at providing security mechanism or model for data security and protection in educational institutions. It provides empirical studies related to data security and protection as well as cyberspace and online data theft in educational institutions. The paper recommends that educational institutions should adopt and implement the security mechanism and models to prevent cybercrime activities. It also recommends that sensitization should be organized for both students and staff on the use online platforms to prevent them from being exposed to malicious users.