Rising cybersecurity threats target U.S. higher education institutions

With nearly 6,000 higher education institutions housing vast amounts of sensitive data—ranging from personal information to research with national security implications—colleges and universities have become prime targets for cybercriminals and nation-state actors. Limited resources and complex IT systems, however, have left these institutions increasingly vulnerable to attacks, prompting higher education officials to look for a more strategic and layered defense approach, according to a new report.

Key cybersecurity challenges

Higher education institutions face unique challenges due to the diversity and scale of their operations. Universities manage a wide range of services that depend on different technology platforms, starting with online education but also including housing, retail, financial services, sporting events and government-funded research.

The report, written by Scoop News Group for Proofpoint, says these extensive networks create vulnerabilities, exposing valuable data such as intellectual property, financial records and health information to attackers.

Chris Montgomery, a cybersecurity solutions architect at Proofpoint, points out that universities’ collaborative nature makes them soft targets. While academic environments encourage free-flowing information, this openness can become a security risk — especially to business email compromise (BEC) scams, ransomware, and espionage.

A layered defense strategy

Given the complexity of a major university’s IT environment—which can rival that of large corporations but often lack the same IT security resources —universities must adopt a more targeted and layered defense approach to protect against cyberattacks, according to the report. A single campus may have tens of thousands of students, faculty, staff and alumni engaging across various systems, which creates a massive attack surface.

This complexity requires a more focused security strategy, starting with advanced identity and access management solutions that also consider it. It also requires an intentional cultural effort to prioritize security within academia, the report argues. Proofpoint recommends a human-centric approach that balances accessibility with security. This ensures that critical assets are protected without impeding the flow of information. For example, departments handling large financial transactions, like accounts payable, must have more robust security measures than other departments.

Focus on human-centric security

According to Proofpoint, people are the most vulnerable point in the security chain, with over 90% of breaches starting with email. Knowing this, the report explains how Proofpoint’s human-centric strategy is built on several key components:

1. Email security: Through AI-driven analysis and real-time threat intelligence, Proofpoint’s solutions protect against phishing, ransomware, and impersonation attacks.
2. Insider threat management: Proofpoint’s insider threat management detects unusual user behavior to prevent data theft or compromise.
3. Data loss prevention: A comprehensive DLP solution protects against unauthorized data transfers, securing sensitive research data, student records and financial information.
4. User education: Proofpoint emphasizes educating users to recognize phishing attempts, avoid malicious links, and follow cybersecurity best practices.

Ultimately, universities can significantly reduce the risk of financial loss, reputational damage and operational disruption by adopting a human-centric, layered defense strategy.

Learn more about how Proofpoint’s human-centric security solutions can help protect higher education institutions.

This article was produced by Scoop News Group, for EdScoop, and sponsored by Proofpoint.