Times have changed, and with that,cyber threats have evolved. Institutions of higher education are not exempt from these dangers, and in fact, may be even more vulnerable.  Educational institutions need to be aware of the challenges and take steps to safeguard their data. One of the greatest challenges for colleges and cybersecurity in education universities is the fact that their networks are often more open and expansive than those of businesses. With a range of different departments and staff using different devices and software, it can be difficult to keep track of who is doing what and where potential vulnerabilities lie.

Another issue is that college students are not always careful about cyber security. They may not think about the consequences of downloading games or music or clicking on links in emails. They also may not be aware of the dangers of using unsecured Wi-Fi networks. But institutions can help protect them from cyber threats. It is important to educate the students, staff, and community about cyber security issues. Firewalls and malware protection software should be installed. And most importantly, a culture of cyber security in education system needs to be created.   

The Threats of Data Breaches, Ransom ware, and Phishing

We’re probably well aware of the many cyber security threats out there today: data breaches, ransom ware, and phishing, to name a few. And as a higher education institution, we face a unique set of challenges in protecting our data. For one, our networks are constantly under attack. Hackers know that we have valuable data—including personal data of students and staff, as well as intellectual property—and they're determined to get their hands on it. They use a variety of methods to try to penetrate our security, including ransom ware and phishing attacks. Then there's the issue of insider threats. It's not always outsiders who pose a threat to our security; sometimes its people who have access to our systems and data. They may be disgruntled employees who want to harm the institution, or they may be hackers who have infiltrated our network and are looking for sensitive information.

It's important to take steps to protect yourself against these threats. Implementing strong cyber security measures is essential, but also we need to educate your staff and students about these threats and how to avoid them. And we need to have a plan in place for responding to a data breach or other cyber security incident.

Addressing Data Accessibility & Mobility Challenges

When it comes to cyber security, we have to take into account the data accessibility and mobility challenges many higher education institutions face today. As more people use mobile devices and remote access, the risk of a breach goes up exponentially. To reduce this risk you can implement a BYOD (bring your own device) policy that limits access to sensitive data, and set guidelines for device usage. we should also enforce the use of multi-factor authentication (MFA) and limit access to portable devices such as USBs.

“Cyber security is no longer restricted to high-end computer learning, but practically percolates into almost every aspect of our daily lives. Again, defeating cyber attack requires combined participation and sustained efforts from both public and private sectors. As per estimates by NASSCOM Cyber security Task Force, India will need 1 million trained cyber security professionals by the year 2025.” says Pradipto Chakrabarty, Regional Director, and CompTIA India.

Software vulnerabilities

Software vulnerabilities are defects in the code that might provide an attacker access to a system. These mistakes in the software's code or design might be the cause of these issues. Software with vulnerability management capabilities has a cyber security plan. In order to reduce the possibility of further security breaches; it actively searches the network for vulnerabilities, detects them, and provides suggestions on how to fix them.

The method used to exploit computer vulnerability depends on both the vulnerability's characteristics and the attacker's objectives. These faults might be caused by unexpected interactions between many software applications, system components, or fundamental errors in a particular program. It’s crucial to understand that vulnerabilities exist in almost every network; but, due to the immensely complex nature of contemporary network design, it is impossible to detect and fix every single one of them.

To conclude

There are three major cyber security challenges that colleges and universities face today: data theft, ransom ware, and phishing. Data theft is the unauthorized access and use of confidential data. Ransom ware is a type of malware that encrypts data and holds it hostage until a ransom is paid. Phishing is a type of social engineering attack in which users are tricked into clicking on a malicious link or opening an infected file. All of these attacks can result in serious financial and reputational damage for colleges and universities. The best way to protect yourself from these attacks is to educate your users about them and implement strong cyber security policies and procedures.