Dive Brief:
- Barry University in Florida has found a new level of security peace with a defense tool that monitors network activity and flags potential cyber attacks as they happen.
- Hernan Londono, Barry's associate chief information officer, writes for University Business that the Vectra Networks Automated Threat Management system flagged a phishing campaign during a proof-of-concept test, which, had his team not mitigated right away, would have allowed malware to spread through the network.
- The automated system improves over time, tailoring its defenses to network activity using data science, machine learning, and behavioral analysis, offering a level of protection that is not perfect, but better than many institutions have now.
Dive Insight:
Higher education is a key target for cyber attacks because of the open networks common on college and university campuses. Hundreds and thousands of students and faculty are wandering on and off the network with their own devices, bringing their viruses and malware to the wider community, creating nightmares for security teams to protect against.
While data breaches make the news and prompt concerns among network users, the millions of attacks that are prevented go unnoticed and often unappreciated. IT departments must press on, however, improving their security apparatus, both with preventative strategies as well as those that prime an institution to respond well in crises.