Security Solutions for Education
Due to the nature and complexity of operations and the academic culture of open access, educational institutions, and in particular, large research-oriented universities, face unique exposures related to the internet and information security and privacy. An overriding challenge that educational institutions face when dealing with privacy and security risks continues to be the fundamental conflict between a culture that values an unfettered exchange of ideas, and the security and privacy of sensitive or private information.
Sites like Facebook and MySpace allow students to share personal information in a more publicly accessible way than ever before. Many universities have incorporated the use of social networking websites into their student code of conduct, with some even monitoring students’ postings. Institutions walk a fine line when they begin monitoring online behavior, since doing so may create a duty of care to protect students from dangerous or criminal behavior. Educational institutions are often faced with the task of securing networks with limited resources, leading to the widespread use of free or open source security software that may be less effective than a customized solution.
Nearly all universities have custody of student health information in the context of on-campus health clinics, which means they must ensure compliance with Health Information Portability and Accessibility Act (HIPAA) privacy and security rules. Universities with associated hospitals, those that host clinical trials, and even those that conduct any human subject research, may have additional exposure.
The protection and disclosure of confidential consumer information - both personally identifiable information (PI) and protected health information (PHI) - is currently governed by a patchwork of state and federal laws that target different exposures and different entities.
We can provide Internet Risk Audits, Employee Internet Management tools, laptop encryption, and a variety of audit services.