Campus Safety and CybersecurityTransformation in Higher Education

Today’s colleges and universities are more

vulnerable than ever in the face of both the

ongoing threat of physical violence on campus

and cyberattacks that put student privacy and

sensitive institutional data at risk. Cybersecurity,

in fact, is the number one priority of higher

education IT leadership, according to the annual

EDUCAUSE CIO IT Issues report.

How can higher education institutions stay

in front of these challenges and keep their

communities safe? By transforming safety and

cybersecurity through the implementation of a

comprehensive plan to strengthen endpoint, data

and network security, as well as campus safety.

2 Campus Safety and Cybersecurity Transformation in Higher Education

Endpoint SecurityA critical component of a Zero Trust cybersecurity strategy and safety transformation across campus is securing client endpoints such as workstations, laptops and tablets. Effective endpoint security can stop malware, phishing attacks and other threats from gaining a foothold in the IT environment.

EDR and SIEM Systems. A solid endpoint security strategy should include endpoint management software that detects malicious behavior and prevents malware files from attacking. Colleges and universities should also deploy modern endpoint detection and response (EDR) solutions as well as security information and event management (SIEM) systems that enable continuous monitoring and response to advanced threats.

In addition, endpoint security should include automated patching processes that keep critical systems updated without the need for manual intervention.

3 Campus Safety and Cybersecurity Transformation in Higher Education

Data SecurityWhether it’s critical student data or important information about the school, you need to protect your most sensitive data at all costs. Systems, applications and data need to be consistently backed up and continuously monitored for personally identifiable information and other data leakage and loss.

The IT staff must be sure to deploy the best technologies for encryption, cloud security and compliance to protect institutional data from the edge to the core to the cloud.

Identity and Access Management. An effective data security plan centers on ensuring that a modern identity and access management solution is in place. This solution should be a formal, privileged access system, with access to keys/tokens and logs that are maintained to ensure transparency on root access to critical systems and data. The plan should also incorporate multifactor authentication when possible, and IT teams should define password or passphrase requirements and train users on creating strong passwords.

4 Campus Safety and Cybersecurity Transformation in Higher Education

Network SecurityTo reliably and securely deliver learning applications and content to students, faculty and staff, colleges and universities need to stop threats throughout the network—in the data center and across campus. This means identifying and protecting the most critical assets, managing application security to safeguard the online applications used heavily for data collection and analysis. It also means providing end-to-end visibility of networking and security systems, as well as adopting practices that prevent lateral movement—the technique cyberattackers often use to move progressively through a network searching for assets to target.

Next-Generation Technologies. Colleges and universities must also ensure that next-generation security technologies are in place, including firewalls, SIEM tools, intrusion detection systems (IDS), intrusion prevention systems (IPS), antivirus/anti-malware solutions and alert systems. It is important to have a unified and integrated modern solution that replaces disconnected tools with tightly integrated innovations like DNS security services, IDS/IPS etc. Without such advanced integrated technologies, schools are much more vulnerable to attacks and breaches.

Another way to bolster network security is by conducting regular third-party IT audits that include penetration and vulnerability testing.

5 Campus Safety and Cybersecurity Transformation in Higher Education

Campus SafetyWhether they are concerned about active shooters, assaults or theft, campus IT leaders need to find the right technology to support their security and surveillance initiatives. To do this effectively, these leaders must employ end-to-end validated solutions based on proven technology. They should also implement access points around the campus perimeter, while limiting access points for visitors to improve campus safety overall.

Insider Threat Awareness and Prevention.Insider threats come from people within the college or university, such as employees or others with information about security practices and computer systems. Preventing these malicious threats is a major part of a successful campus safety transformation. Campus IT leaders need to strengthen human firewalls by improving security awareness and taking advantage of phishing simulation programs for training. They also must develop a formal insider threat program that incorporates malicious and unintentional insider threat awareness into periodic security training for faculty, students, staff, alumni and

other users. Colleges and universities can also engage students to participate in monitoring peers to strengthen campus safety, and they can create a culture of accountability by establishing clear parameters of acceptable behavior. In addition, endpoint security should include automated patching processes that keep critical systems updated without the need for manual intervention.

Technology and Campus Surveillance. To fully protect students, teachers and employees, colleges and universities are increasingly demanding 4K-resolution video cameras in and outside all buildings. These surveillance systems often include modern technologies such as IoT systems and advanced analytics, and they require significant computer, storage and virtualization resources.

Dell EMC partner V5 Systems is one technology provider that can help. V5 offers high-resolution portable camera solutions that can detect gunshots and other criminal activity in real time, providing increased protection on campus. Additionally, Dell Technologies offers an IoT-based surveillance system.

6 Campus Safety and Cybersecurity Transformation in Higher Education

Transforming Campus Safety and Cybersecurity with Dell TechnologiesCreating a Zero Trust cybersecurity environment is a powerful prevention strategy when implemented across the entire enterprise—network, endpoints and cloud. Our comprehensive Zero Trust approach, combined with campus safety solutions, fosters a much safer and more secure campus community.

Dell Technologies is helping colleges and universities to address their endpoint, network, data and campus security challenges through technology solutions that cover both digital and physical security to protect people and information.

Dell Technologies higher education solutions include endpoint and network security, threat and intrusion protection, data protection, virtualization, cloud services, threat intelligence and analytics, and video surveillance. These solutions can help strengthen campuses and enable better protection for networks, data and privacy.

As a result, colleges and universities can drive a security and safety transformation that helps them overcome threats to their campuses, students, administrators, employees and IT infrastructure. With the right technologies, campus IT leaders have better protection for their people and their most critical information.

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7 Campus Safety and Cybersecurity Transformation in Higher Education