How an eLearning Platform Overcame Security Threats with Strategic Migration

Industry:	eLearning
Location:	USA

Restored Administrative Control

Uninterrupted Service Transition

Seamless Payment Access

Services used

Application Development

Background

NewEarth University initially approached us to build a few pages on their website. Over time, this evolved into a requirement for managed website infrastructure, particularly website support. However, a significant hurdle arose when the university, realized they needed to make their websites more secure. They needed to regain control of their website from former employees, who held the highest level of administrative privileges over the site. This situation necessitated a website migration to a new domain where NewEarth University would have full control and ensure the security of its users.

Client

NewEarth University (NEU) is an online educational community that operates under a new paradigm, aligning itself with the broader NewEarth movement (NewEarth Project 2.0). It provides a platform for worldwide learning and is open to all individuals without requiring an application fee or membership fee. The university has been offering online new-paradigm learning since 2014 and presents a variety of courses, workshops, libraries, and symposia to its learners.

Challenge

The major challenge that necessitated a new site was rooted in their low security websites, particularly, the lack of full control over the website by NewEarth University. Some of the university’s former employees had global administrator privileges on the domain, which posed a significant security risk. Additionally, a website migration was needed as this scenario inhibited the university’s ability to make necessary updates. It also hindered the seamless operation of the site, affecting students’ ability to pay for courses and conduct other essential activities online. For these reasons, they had to consider changing URLs.

Solution

To get started, Symphony Solutions started by conducting a comprehensive website security audit. This audit was crucial in identifying vulnerabilities and setting the stage for a robust managed website services plan:

Technology Update: The initial step involved updating the technology stack, including transitioning to the latest PHP version, addressing plugin issues that emerged from the upgrade. This process was part of a broader managed infrastructure strategy, ensuring that the university’s website ran on a secure and updated platform. The website reliability test conducted post-update confirmed the success of these initial steps, marking a significant improvement in the site’s stability and security.

Website Migration: The core of the migration strategy was the move to a new domain, meticulously planned and executed to avoid alerting former employees with unauthorized administrative access. This move was part of our regular managed website services, our expert team ensured a seamless transition that maintained uninterrupted service for students and staff. The website reliability test played a crucial role again, verifying the seamless operation of the site’s essential functions, such as course payments and registration, on the new domain.

Post-Migration Fixes: After migration, the team faced and promptly addressed several issues, including mislinked footers and login problems on specific devices, further highlighting the importance of continuous website security audit and managed website services. The website reliability test conducted after addressing these issues confirmed the site’s enhanced performance and security.

Result

The successful migration not only restored full administrative control to NewEarth University but also significantly upgraded its security framework. The strategic approach, incorporating managed infrastructure, website security audit, managed website services, and website reliability test, resulted in a platform that now stands as a testament to digital security and operational efficiency in the eLearning sector.