Page 34 - Security Today, November/December 2023

Data Posture What management techniques you need to know in the education vertical By Karthik Krishnan Red Herring/Shutterstock.com • Financial aid • Transcript request forms • Attendance • Enrollment • Proof of graduation • Student appeals • Student evaluations • Institutional Student Information Records (ISIR) • Recommendation letters • Welcome letters • Graduate earnings surveys It is important to note that robust cy- bersecurity in education is not only about protecting data but also protecting the future — since institutions often hold the keys to research and innovation. THINK OF IT LIKE THIS Cyberattacks targeted at es have been reported in educational insti- Protecting student data is like preserving big-name businesses may tutions, with at least 31,988,437 individual the integrity of a library. In a library, each assume most of the head- records affected. book offers valuable information for stu- lines, but cybersecurity dents. Books must be accessible and safe With such significant potential finan- incidents are also on the from theft or damage. In the same way, cial and reputational losses for education, rise for higher education organizations. student data contains personal and aca- deploying data security solutions to pre- vent data breaches is a top priority for the As the education sector faces the modern demic information that plays a key role in challenges of delivering more classes on- sector. Traditional cybersecurity hygiene the educational journey. practices, while undeniably crucial, are no line and embracing a hybrid model, the If a library’s books are unattended or longer enough to address the complex and hurdles for IT and security departments to its catalog system compromised, the entire overcome are myriad. repository of knowledge could be at risk. sophisticated threats that educational in- It is the same with student data – if it is stitutions face today. SAFETY OF INSTITUTIONS not secured with the latest cybersecurity Much like the private sector, IT infrastruc- A NEW NORMAL protocols or solutions, educational integ- tures in education have extended beyond rity and trust are under threat. CYBERSECURITY CHALLENGES the safety of institutions’ network and se- The education sector is navigating a curity systems. Today, many staff and stu- DATA SECURITY POSTURE complex array of challenges — the shift dents work or learn from home, and the use to remote learning, widespread decentral- MANAGEMENT (DSPM) IN of digital platforms for online learning is ization, burgeoning cloud adoption, and EDUCATION: A 5-STEP CHECKLIST skyrocketing. While some may be slower to an ever-expanding data landscape. These To address these challenges, Data Security adopt, educational institutions are increas- challenges collectively expose new vulner- Posture Management (DSPM) is an ap- ingly leveraging digital platforms for student abilities in protecting critical data and proach that can help protect the unique records and academic activities, as well. environment of academic institutions. intellectual property. Due to the massive amounts of confi- Here is a simple 5-step guide to achieving For higher learning institutions, the dential data that they store and manage, categories and types of sensitive data that data security in the education sector. the higher education vertical is an attrac- must be protected are sizeable. Here are a tive target for hackers. IBM’s 2023 Cost DISCOVER AND IDENTIFY few key examples: of a Data Breach Report found that the STUDENT DATA • Student account statements average data breach in the higher educa- The first and perhaps most crucial step is • Student transcripts tion and training sector cost $3.7 million • Student payments identifying where all instances of student in 2023. In another study, Comparitech re- • Student financial reports data reside within your institution. With a ported that since 2005, 2,691 data breach- • Disbursement reports best-of-breed DSPM solution, institutions 34 NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2023 | SECURITY TODAY HIGHER EDUCATION