The Importance Of Cyber Security For Academic Institutions
The risk of a cyberattack is increasing at a rapid rate, as cybercriminals become more sophisticated and specific in their targets. One of the areas that attracts a lot of attention from hostile states and cybercriminals is the field of academic research. Often this work requires international collaboration, and contains large amounts of sensitive information.
Academic research is also vulnerable to intellectual property theft, and could be used for malign purposes. Therefore it is essential that higher education institutions take a vigilant approach to cybersecurity. UK universities carry out some of the world’s most cutting-edge research, and collaborate with teams from around the world.
This enhances the quality of the work and also attracts investment and enables further research projects. However, it also makes UK educational institutions a particularly attractive target for cybercriminals, particularly in the field of science and technology research.
The National Cyber Security Centre has recently issued guidelines for researchers to help them manage cybersecurity, protect their intellectual property, maintain academic freedoms, and also to ensure compliance with legal data regulations.
Here’s a look at the most important steps to take, and how our Leeds cyber security services can help you with the most up to date knowledge and technologies.
Protecting Intellectual Property
Putting robust access control measures in place to protect intellectual property is essential when working with research partners or entering into a funding arrangement with a commercial organisation. Sensitive information should only be accessible to those who have an essential need, and non-disclosure agreements should be put in place.
If you are using collaborative IT platforms, a risk assessment should be carried out by a member of the IT team to understand the security protocols and ensure that they are adequate, up to date and properly followed by everyone involved in the project.
The system should have measures in place to detect any unauthorised access attempts and to protect data from malicious activities from both inside and outside the network.
Ensuring regulatory compliance
It’s essential to understand and adhere to the relevant legal frameworks for the research project and nature of the collaboration. For example, personal data needs to be compliant with the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), and appropriate measures should be taken to protect it.
Furthermore, some research may be subject to export control regulations, and will require an export licence for both physical and electronic exports with overseas partners, or for teaching international students. There are tools available to check if this is the case with individual projects.
In all cases, due diligence should be conducted when considering a proposal to work with a new research partner, particularly if it will be an international team. This includes financial, ethical, and legal considerations as well as cyber security.
How to help your institution to maintain first-class security
There are some basic measures all institutions should take to ensure a good level of cybersecurity. These include the following:
- Protecting emails with strong passwords and two-factor authentication
- Installing the latest security updates and software
- Always backing up critical data
- Securing portable devices such as phones and laptops with lockable screens
- Taking extra security measures when travelling, such as never using public WiFi networks, never leaving digital devices unattended, and encrypting electronic communications.
How a managed service provider can help
As an IT service provider with extensive experience of cyber security and the education sector, we can help you improve your cyber security infrastructure in the following ways:
- Cybersecurity risk assessments
- Secure cloud and data storage solutions
- Compliance support for GDPR and export controls
- Network security monitoring and threat mitigation
By taking proactive steps to secure your research, you can ensure that your valuable work remains protected against cyber threats and intellectual property theft.
