The cybersecurity landscape on college campuses is more critical than ever as universities work to protect students’ personal information in an era of rampant cyberattacks.
As these breaches can have far-reaching consequences for individuals and institutions alike, let’s explore some of the challenges as well as measures that can prevent cyberattacks.
The importance of protecting student data
Privacy and confidentiality
College databases hold vast amounts of personal information, including Social Security numbers, financial data, medical records and academic records. Ensuring this data remains private is essential to maintaining student trust and institutional integrity. Obtaining these records through identity theft can cause long-term damage to students' financial health and personal lives.
Regulatory compliance
Governmental policies help IT managers keep this data safe from bad actors. The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) mandates strict controls over the access and sharing of educational records, ensuring students' privacy rights are upheld. And for institutions with international students, compliance with the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) is necessary, adding another layer of data protection requirements.
The Cybersecurity Landscape in Higher Education
Evolving threats
Cybercriminals frequently target students and administrative staff with phishing emails, attempting to steal login credentials and personal information. But institutions are also increasingly targeted by ransomware attacks, where cybercriminals encrypt data and demand payment for its release, as well as malware and viruses, which can infect campus networks and lead to data breaches and system disruptions.
Complex IT environments
College campuses have a diverse user base, including students, faculty, staff and researchers, each with different access needs and cybersecurity awareness levels. With so many users introducing a variety of personal and institution-owned devices, such as laptops and smartphones, into the system, universities can be complex and challenging environments to secure.
Strategies for Securing Student Information
Robust access controls
Implementing multi-factor authentication (MFA) adds an extra layer of security, ensuring that even if credentials are compromised, unauthorized access is prevented due to the secondary credential. And by limiting data access based on user roles, role-based access control (RBAC) helps keep proprietary and sensitive data secure, available only to select individuals who can only access information necessary for their responsibilities.
Data encryption
Encrypting data both at rest and in transit ensures that even if data is intercepted or accessed without authorization, it remains unreadable and secure. Utilizing encrypted communication channels such as HTTPS and VPNs protects data transmitted over networks.
Regular security audits and assessments
Regularly assessing the campus network for vulnerabilities helps identify and address potential security gaps before they can be exploited, while conducting penetration tests simulates cyberattacks, helping to identify weaknesses and improve security defenses.
User education and training
Creating a proactive defense is a solid strategy. By educating students, faculty and staff about cybersecurity threats and best practices, you can empower them to recognize and respond to potential risks. Also, conducting simulated phishing attacks helps users identify attempts and reinforces the importance of vigilance.
Incident response and recovery
Developing and regularly updating an incident response plan ensures a swift and effective response to cybersecurity incidents, minimizing damage and recovery time, while regularly backing up data and having a robust recovery plan ensures that data can be restored quickly in the event of a breach or ransomware attack.
As the cybersecurity landscape on college campuses becomes increasingly complex, protecting student data is not only a regulatory requirement but also a moral imperative to ensure students' privacy and security.
Learn more about C Spire Business’s IT solutions for higher education here.
