Data security breaches in the educational sector can be devastating to institutions and the students and employees they serve. They carry the potential for identity theft, violations of federal and state laws, and loss of trust of students, alumni and employees. The Identity Theft Resource Center says that as of October 2011, education…

For some colleges and professors, classified research promises prestige and money. Powerhouses like the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and the Johns Hopkins University have for decades run large classified laboratories. But most other universities either do not allow such research or conduct it quietly, and in small doses. The…

School system leaders never know when disaster may strike. Having a plan in place to protect vital data and systems is crucial. School system leaders need to be actively involved in crisis preparedness, planned response, and recovery to ensure student and staff safety and to make certain that all important operations, services, processes, and…

Information security threats to educational institutions and their data assets have worsened significantly over the past few years. The rich data stores of institutional research are especially vulnerable, and threats from security breaches represent no small risk. New genres of threat require new kinds of controls if the institution is to prevent…

In this article, the author offers six best practices for physical and data security convergence. These are: (1) assess the cable plant; (2) choose wisely; (3) be patient; (4) engineer for high availability; (5) test the converged network to make sure it works; and (6) don't forget the humans.

EDUCAUSE presents the top-ten IT-related issues in terms of strategic importance to the higher education institution, as revealed by the ninth annual EDUCAUSE Current Issues Survey. This year, "Security" moves back to the top of the list. (Contains 20 notes.)

Discusses issues of security for school computer networks, including protection against viruses and hackers. (EV)

Colleges and universities can never be too prepared, whether for physical attacks or data security breaches. A quick data slice of over 7,000 US higher ed institutions, using the Office of Postsecondary Education's Campus Security Data Analysis Cutting Tool Website and cutting across public and private two- and four-year schools, reveals some…

Despite intensive security measures, institutions are still suffering breaches--sometimes quite painful and costly ones. After a major breach was reported at UCLA this past November, the author spoke with "Educause" security expert Rodney Petersen, to get his perspective and advice for higher education leadership. This article presents…

Building access control (BAC)--a catchall phrase to describe the systems that control access to facilities across campus--has traditionally been handled with remarkably low-tech solutions: (1) manual locks; (2) electronic locks; and (3) ID cards with magnetic strips. Recent improvements have included smart cards and keyless solutions that make use…

Many security professionals choose the career because of an interest in the technology of security. Few realize the degree to which a contemporary security office interacts with law enforcement agencies (LEAs) such as the FBI and state, local, and campus police. As the field of information security has matured, the language of risk management is…

This article reviews safety and security issues as they relate to technology, both for individuals and for the higher education institution. (Author)

The problem with traditional, perimeterbased security methods is twofold: First, they can stifle the educational mission that district networks were created to encourage. Firewalls can thwart hackers, but they can also prevent staff and students from accessing online tools or information. Second, these approaches tend to provide inadequate…

Discusses how colleges are creating offices to handle crimes, near-crimes, human errors, dramas, and assorted foibles on increasingly Internet-connected campuses. (EV)

Property theft at schools is a problem districts are having to confront. Deterrents include inventory checks and etching equipment with inventory control numbers. In Washington, D.C., officials are installing high-security equipment such as closed-circuit television, fiber-optics lines to secure computers, and motion detectors. (MLF)