Assessment of Password Recovery Mechanisms on Electronic Learning Platforms

Most universities in Zimbabwe have changed the way they deliver education. A blended learning approach has become the norm, electronic learning platforms are complementing the traditional face-to-face interactions between students and lecturers. Though online platforms come along with several benefits, security concerns regarding student data exist. Passwords implemented might be forgotten, and to recover from this, password recovery mechanisms are used. Password recovery mechanisms implemented can introduce vulnerabilities and an attacker might recover a user's password by leveraging their loopholes. Therefore, this study seeks to assess the password recovery mechanisms used in electronic learning platforms of the selected universities in Zimbabwe. Additionally, the research uncovers flaws in password recovery processes and advises their implications on student data security. It is evident from the results that universities in Zimbabwe are using weak password recovery methods such as secret questions and email-based mechanisms. The research recommends coupling two or more password recovery mechanisms to improve security. Furthermore, in cases where budgets permit, the study recommends the use of stronger password recovery methods, such as multi device authentication and biometric based solutions.