Security & Privacy


ransomware

Report: Ransomware Attacks Up 627%

According to the latest Internet Security Report from data security provider WatchGuard, ransomware at the endpoint level has surged 627% — despite an observed decrease at the network level of detected malware last quarter.

Five adults stand and sit talking in a room of computers and the sign on the wall says "Security Operations Center University of South Carolina Aiken"

How USC Aiken's CIO Used Regional Cybersecurity 'Buzz' to Launch a Student-Staffed Security Operations Center

Thanks to the CIO's efforts on campus and through partnering with external cyber organizations, USC Aiken is enjoying a successful first year of its student-staffed Security Operations Center, expanding cyber-monitoring capabilities for not only the Aiken campus but also for sister campuses in the USC system — and the university is no longer short-staffed in the IT department.

ransomware

Blackbaud to Pay $3M Fine for 'Misleading' Customers Following 2020 Ransomware Attack, Data Breach

Blackbaud, a South Carolina-based provider of administrative, donor management, and CRM software to thousands of K–12 private schools, higher education institutions, and nonprofits, has been ordered by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission to pay a fine of $3 million to “settle charges for making misleading disclosures about a 2020 ransomware attack that impacted more than 13,000 customers,” the federal agency said in a news release.

Tech Tactics in Education

New 'Tech Tactics in Education' Conference Announced by Campus Technology and THE Journal

Registration is now open for Tech Tactics in Education: Data and IT Security in the New Now, a new conference from the producers of Campus Technology and THE Journal. The three-day event, taking place November 7–9, 2023, at the Renaissance Orlando at SeaWorld in Orlando, Fla., will offer hands-on learning, practical tips, and strategic discussions on critical cybersecurity issues and key data infrastructure and practices across K–12 and higher education.

Security Appliance Market Tops $6.1 Billion in a Single Quarter

The security appliance market saw a substantial increase year over year, with five manufacturers dominating in the fourth quarter of 2022, according to market research firm IDC.

DMARC Guide for Education IT Staff

DMARC Study: Most Higher Ed Domains Not Protecting E-mail Security Fully

New research shows that an overwhelming majority of education institutions in the United States have incorrectly configured e-mail security settings and as a result are more susceptible to phishing and spoofing threats.

business man carrying box of belongings

Gartner Predicts 1 in 4 Cybersecurity Leaders Will Leave the Field by 2025

A new forecast from research firm Gartner estimates that nearly half of all cybersecurity leaders will change jobs by 2025. And 25% will move to non-security roles due to multiple work-related stressors.

cybersecurity

Education Accounts for 7.3% of Cybersecurity Incidents Across Industries in 2022, Up from 2.8% in 2021

IBM Security, releasing its annual X-Force Threat Intelligence Index for 2023, noted that education, sixth on the list of 10 industries analyzed, jumped from 2.8% of all incidents in 2021 to 7.3% in 2022.

Federal Student Aid

FSA Details Data Security Requirements Taking Effect June 9

The U.S. Department of Education’s Federal Student Aid office recently published detailed information security requirements for higher education institutions that previously or currently service, administer, or aid in the administration of a Federal Student Aid program, noting that IHEs participating in FSA programs fall under the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act and must comply with its mandates by June 9, 2023.

Businessman on blurred background using digital padlock with data protection 3D rendering

Educause Guidance for Higher Ed Leaders: Basics of Data Privacy Oversight, Transparency, and Compliance

A new Showcase Series from Educause, titled “Privacy and Cybersecurity 101,” offers guidance for higher education leaders on pressing issues of the day: data privacy, information security, and institutional transparency around both.