# Cyber Security for Education Industry

Hackers will always be drawn to the education industry. The sheer size of the sector, as well as the potential for large financial gain, data theft, and espionage, makes it an attractive target for cybercriminals. And everybody, from students to staff, faculty members, and third-party providers, are potential targets.

## Overview

**Protecting the confidentiality of sensitive information** is just as critical as offering a high standard of education in today’s evolving threat scenario. Inability to take proper precautions could result in the theft of vital research and the revealing of personal and financial information.

With **3,934 weekly breaches**, Australia’s education sector has the **fourth greatest number of** [cybersecurity](/content/resources/cyber-security/index.html) **breaches a week**, up 17% over the first half of 2021. The main issue for educational institutions is to manage valuable data and resources while reducing current and future cybersecurity risks.

Challenges​

## Do these challenges sound familiar?

- Keeping Student Data Secure from Threat Actors​
- Safely Mitigating the rise in cyber Breaches and DDOS Attacks
- Effectively Balancing Information Security and Academic Openness
- Efficiently Protecting Large Decentralised IT Estates
- Alignment to International Security Standards Such as ISO27001 or ASD Essential 8​
- Complying with Australian Privacy Principles and Other Mandatory Data Security Standards

$  
8  
0  
1  
2  
3  
4

m  
Average cost of a data breach in Australia

8  
0  
1  
2  
3  
4  
5  
6

Average weekly cyberattacks in the education sector (AU)

8  
0  
1  
2  
3  
4  
5  
6

%  
Global increase in attacks against education sector since 2020

## Key security questions for education providers

### What controls are in place to mitigate insider threats?

### Are suitable controls in place to detect and respond to breaches?

### Are systems in place to prevent, detect and respond to threats?

### How often are applications and networks tested for vulnerabilities?

### How are supply chain security risks controlled?

### How are staff and student personal data processed and protected?

Compliance

## Cyber security compliance in the education industry

**COVID-19** has caused a disruption in the methods used to teach and learn for students. It required a quick transition to **remote working** as well as a **re-evaluation** of the systems and processes that had been in place for many years.

This abrupt transition has exposed the education industry, placing **risk on compliance** as well as **data and intellectual property security**.

We can assist you in enhancing your data and information security to the degree required to comply with the **ACSC Essential 8**, **Australian Privacy Principles**, [**ISO 27001**](/content/services/iso-27001/index.html) and other security requirements.

## Gridware's Preventative Services

We partner deeply with clients to understand their needs, working closely and iteratively to provide robust, best-in-class security solutions.

### Penetration Testing

**Rapidly and efficiently** determine the extent to which your network and assets can defend against cyber threats by testing them against common exploits and vulnerabilities.

### PCI DSS Penetration Test

Regular assessment of your organisation’s systems and processes is among the key controls mandated by the **Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard**(PCI DSS) to protect cardholder data.

### Cloud Security Audit

Gridware will support the improvement of your cloud network monitoring capabilities to the level needed to **detect and respond to cyber threats that target cloud infrastructure**, services, and applications.

### Network Security Penetration Testing

A form of ethical hacking that aims to **validate or invalidate** the efficiency of **defensive network controls** and determine what needs to be done to bolster them.

### Cyber Awareness Training

Gridware conducts **information security training and workshops at your business**. We provide **in-house training seminars** for your staff to educate on phishing prevention, social engineering and best practice cyber procedures.

### Risk Audit

Our team of cyber security consultants will perform a cyber risk assessment that will **identify gaps in your existing policies and procedures**, and provide detailed observations and **remediation plans** to help achieve your most ideal state of security.

In the Event of a Breach

## Gridware's Protective Services

- **Ransomware Data Recovery** – In the event you are subject to ransomware, Gridware’s incident response consultants can be **logged in remotely within minutes** to implement our proprietary incident response methodology.
- **Data Breach Investigation** – Gridware will **immediately** assess the **extent of the breach**, the severity of the incident, the likely impact it will have on the business, and **support your organisation** through the remediation activities.

## Why choose Gridware?

### Leading AUS-based cybersecurity company

### Red and blue team CREST CSOC expertise

### Fast and hassle-free service deployment

### Sophisticated understanding of the education sector

### Agnostic approach to technology selection

### Best-practice standards with a risk-based approach

### Gridware is one of Australia’s leading Cybersecurity consultancies. Employing market-leading talent and with a strong thought leadership contribution to our field, we continue to out-think and out-smart the most innovative and cutting-edge cyber threats of today.