Add as a preferred source on Google

Spotlight on Cybersecurity

  • 10/17/17

Alex Vaystikh is a cybersecurity expert with several years of experience in analyzing security holes and breaches for large organizations. With his new company SecBI, Alex seeks to automate all of the steps and processes involved in intrusion analysis. Here are a few of his thoughts on keeping a large college or university network safe.

Q. How is handling cybersecurity for a college or university different than securing an everyday network?

A. Colleges and universities have lots of data, especially student data. Since they are large organizations, there are often gaps that leave their networks vulnerable to attack. It is very important to explore these gaps and plan for ways to minimize them, if not totally get rid of them.

Q. What are some of the most important things to think about when trying to keep your college or university’s network safe?

A. First, identify what matters. What do you want to protect against? This will let you know how best to do it and create a policy. Once the policy is determined, monitor it closely to make sure it is kept in place and followed. Analyze and compare data before and after it is in place, look for anomalies.

Q. What is important for campus IT employees and CIOs to keep in mind when it comes to securing their student information and assets?

A. Focus on your network. You will have a hard time controlling the endpoints on a college campus, but you can control what happens with your networks. Research what is going on with the networks and monitor events closely. If something seems off, look into why. Research any questions you have about an incident and make sure to make a decision based on reliable data around it. After any kind of intrusion, play 20 questions and explore it from different angles. Connecting the dots as to what happened is one way to secure the network and lessen the chance it will happen again.

Featured

  • Upcoming University of Alabama Performing Arts Center Hits Construction Milestone

    The University of Alabama in Tuscaloosa, Ala., recently celebrated the topping out of its new Smith Family Center for Performing Arts, according to a news release. The university is partnering with HPM for program and project management on the facility, which broke ground in 2023 and is scheduled for completion in November 2026.

  • textured paper collage shows a school building on fire as a fire truck sprays water into the flames

    Why a Fire Loss Is More than Flames

    We've all seen what fire damage can do to a property, but the types of damage building owners often encounter after a fire loss can exceed expectations. Having full awareness of the different forms of damage properties can sustain helps owners respond faster, reduce continued damage, and get back on the road to recovery in short order.

  • restroom sinks

    CSU Dominguez Hills Standardizes Plumbing to Improve Restroom Maintenance and Efficiency

    At California State University, Dominguez Hills, facilities leaders have taken steps to standardize restroom fixtures as part of a broader effort to improve maintenance efficiency and control long-term costs.

  • Los Angeles City College Breaks Ground on New Administration, Workforce Building

    Los Angeles City College (LACC) in Los Angeles, Calif., recently broke ground on a new $72-million administrative facility, according to a news release. The Cesar Chavez Administration and Workforce Building will stand four stories, cover 67,230 square feet, and play home to a wide variety of the school’s educational and administrative services.

Digital Edition