Cybersecurity In Institutions – 4 Ps To Abide By

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Effecting 200,000 systems in more than 150 countries, no one is new to WannaCry ransomware. Indeed, a bleak alert around stating the realness of cybercrime among different or say, every sector. From healthcare industry to education, no one is impregnable from cyberthreats and the everyday news breaking data breaches.

We are blessed with diverse benefits that technology has to offer us today. However, the noise of cyberattacks is loud & piercing enough for many and has caused them to step back and move towards more traditional ways. Fears don’t lead to great inventions after all!

The education sector is not new to such cyberattacks. Per a report, during the first half of 2017, 118 attacks took place in educational institutions, which accounted for 13% of all breaches. But, are institutions doing enough to protect students from such attacks? Simply setting up passwords and swearing by the same for the whole year long won’t lead to a secure environment. Let’s have a look at the 4 Ps that institutions can abide by to ensure a safe and secure learning environment.

4 Ps To Abide By:

1) Perception – At first, it is imperative for the institutions to take cybersecurity as an essential. This is not just in the news or media, these breaches can happen to anyone and at any time. The sensitivity of the issue must be brought into notice to the higher authorities and discussions around the same must be done in the presence of the IT department. Institutions must deploy a security board, being responsible for monitoring students and processes at risk along with figuring out the counter attacks for the same.

2) Policy – Setting up predictable passwords and ensuring that we are safe won’t do any good. Do you know, the most common passwords of 2016 include “123456”, “qwerty”, and “111111” and we still think we are smarter than cyber criminals. Opening phishing emails, suspicious links must be avoided. Teachers and staff members must take ownership of the same. Along with that, education is foremost. If everyone is aware of the cyberattacks and how can they safeguard themselves from such acts, there are less chances of getting caught in the trap.

3) Protection – As I said earlier, just passwords won’t be enough to save all the crucial data and information. Thus, taking external aid and investing in a robust cybersecurity platform can do the job. Solutions like Multi-factor Authentication ensures that an extra layer of security is present to prevent the cybercriminals to intrude the privacy and steal vital information. Every institution must take a note on deploying such security providers if they want to stay clear of the everyday cyber breaches.

4) Proactivity – Institutions must be proactive, especially, when it comes to security issues. Deploying an extra layer of security is a good step, however, following up and ensuring the seamless working of the same is unquestionably crucial. Along with that, institutions must keep an eye on all the ongoing processes and scrutinize doubtful or phishing invasions.

The Bottom Line Is

Pros are usually tagged along with cons, but that doesn’t mean we should stop embracing the blessings, finding a counter to cons is indeed a better choice. Security is foremost, especially in a sector like education, where data is related to the students, hence, being proactive in understanding the sensitivity and investing in suitable measures cannot be ignored at all. Institutions must abide by this 4 Ps approach and work towards safeguarding all important data and information to provide a healthy and rewarding learning experience to the students. What do you think?