Cybersecurity in Higher Education

Colleges have access to lots of sensitive information about their students, faculty, and staff.  With cyberattacks on the rise, are universities prepared to defend themselves against these threats?

Many colleges are severely lacking in cyber security defences, especially when the CIOs and CISOs are not included in senior management affairs.

Research done by the International Data Group has shown that only 43% of organizations have increased their IT budget.  Surprisingly, 39% of organizations have kept their IT budget the same and 18% have even reduced their IT budget.

Here are 5 areas that colleges should focus on to keep themselves protected:

1. Data Overload

When there is too much data in on a school’s network, the overabundance of data can cover up important data that is mixed in.  It is vital for higher education establishments to effectively manage their information, making it easier for them to extract the valuable data.

2.  Lack of Employee Education

Often times, cybersecurity issues stem from a lack of employee cybersecurity education. Universities need to arm their staff with the skills needed to safely process data and stay away from malware.

3.  Over Reliance on IT vendors

While using an IT vendor is a great way for companies to stay secured, they sometimes create a false sense of security.  University IT management needs to ensure that they find a vendor who will work with them to fully protect their organization’s data.

4.  Compliance

Sometimes, organizations become too reliant on compliance requirements when developing their cybersecurity plans.  Compliance requirements should only be used as one part of the overall security protocol.

5.  Too Many Endpoints

With so much remote work, organizations have to create new endpoints to give employees access.  However, all of these endpoints become targets for hackers.  It is important for colleges to keep their endpoints secured.

Story via EdTech