Risk Assessment Scenario Description for

Learning Management System $($LMS$)$

Scenario Description

This document outlines a high$-$level overview and security concerns for a Learning

Management System $($LMS$).$

Overview

The diagram portrays the architecture of a Learning Management System $($LMS$)$

designed to support online learning and teaching activities. The system facilitates

course management, student$-$teacher interactions, assignment submissions,

grading, and provides various educational tools and resources.

Components

$$ The system is accessible over the internet, ensuring connectivity for users

regardless of their location

$$ A firewall guards the LMS$,$ regulating traffic between the internet and the

system to prevent unauthorized access and potential threats.

$$ Web Server: Hosts the LMS$,$ serving content to users after authenticating

and directing actions to the correct services.

Subsystems

$$ Student Portal:

$$ Dashboard: The central hub for students to access their courses,

assignments, and educational materials.

$$ Assignment Submissions: Allows students to submit their work online.

$$ View Grades: Students can review their grades and feedback.

$$ Instructor Portal:

$$ Course Creation: Instructors can develop and manage course content.

$1$

Figure $1$: Fig. $1$: LMS Architecture

$$ Assignment Grading: Facilitates the evaluation of student work.

$$ Student Performance Analysis: Tools for monitoring student progress.

$$ Administrative Backend:

$$ User Management: Handles user accounts, permissions, and roles.

$$ Data Analytics: Analyzes system and user data for decision$-$making.

$$ Course Approval: Processes for verifying and approving new courses.

$$ Third Party Tools:

$$ Cloud Storage Services: Provides additional storage for system data.

$2$

$$ External Educational Resources: Integrates external learning materials.

$$ Video Conferencing: Supports live sessions and virtual classrooms.

Interconnections

$$ An Authentication Server manages user access, interfacing with both

student and instructor portals to ensure secure logins

$$ A Local Database supports the LMS$,$ storing courses, user information,

and system data for retrieval and analysis.

$$ The system is designed to integrate with Third Party Tools, including

cloud services for storage expansion, external resources for enriched

learning content, and video conferencing for interactive sessions.

Security Concerns and Requirements

The security requirements for the LMS focus on the Confidentiality and Integrity

of educational data and the Availability of the system for uninterrupted

access. Privacy, Authentication and Non$-$repudiation, especially

for online Exams are also important.

Using CORAS for Risk Assessment

In applying the CORAS approach to risk analysis:

$$ Set the Scope and Focus: The risk assessment will focus on the LMS$$s

security aspects, considering all components and subsystems involved.

$$ Define the Target: The target is the secure operation of the LMS$,$ ensuring

that educational activities are carried out effectively and securely$.$

$$ Develop Asset Diagram: Identify and illustrate all LMS assets, including

hardware, software, data, and user interactions.

$$ Analyze Unwanted Incidents: List potential security incidents affecting

the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of the LMS$.$

$$ Identify and Rank Assets: Prioritize the assets based on their importance

to the LMS$$s operation and the impact of potential threats.

$$ Estimate and Model Risk: Using the threat diagram, estimate the likelihood

and impact of identified threats, and model them accordingly.

$$ Evaluate and Treat Risk: Assess the risks, decide on acceptable levels,

and propose treatments to mitigate or eliminate the risks.

$$ Construct Risk Treatment Diagram: Display the risk assessment results

and the selected risk treatment strategies.