Higher education deserves higher value identity security

Identity security is a huge challenge for higher education institutions given their size and complexities. Colleges and universities are responsible for managing the seamless yet compliant access to data for students, faculty, staff, and alumni, which includes sensitive data including, personal and financial information, health, and academic records.

In this blog post, we will explore the identity security challenges that universities face and discuss best practices for addressing them.

Universities collect and store vast amounts of sensitive information, which makes them attractive targets for cybercriminals. Data breaches can occur through a variety of means, including phishing attacks, malware, and hacking. When a data breach occurs, the personal information of students, faculty, staff, and alumni can be exposed, putting their identities at risk.

Universities often have complex organizational structures with different roles and access levels for users. This can include students, faculty, staff, and external partners, each with their own set of access requirements. Managing these different access levels and roles can be a challenging and time-consuming process.

Many universities still rely on manual processes for user provisioning. This can lead to delays, errors, and inconsistencies in access management. For example, a new employee may not be granted access to the necessary systems and resources in a timely manner, leading to inefficiencies and frustration. The new students joining the college at the start of term, requires a herculean effort to onboard all those new accounts, while deprovisioning those who are leaving the university once the term is over.

Without centralized identity management, it can be difficult to manage access across multiple systems and applications. This usually results in security gaps, inconsistent access policies, and difficulty in tracking user activity.

Higher education institutions are subject to a variety of regulations related to data privacy and security, including FERPA, HIPAA, and GDPR. Compliance with these regulations can be a complex and ongoing challenge, particularly when managing user access to sensitive data.

Higher education institutions must balance the need for security with the desire for convenience and ease of access. This can be particularly challenging in environments where eager students and new teaching staff need immediate access to systems and resources.