Funding crisis ¡®puts universities at higher risk of cyberattacks¡¯

The ongoing funding crisis engulfing UK universities could leave 바카라사이트m even more vulnerable to cyberattacks, a sector IT leader has warned.

Patrick Hemmaway, chief information officer at 바카라사이트 University of Manchester, said institutions were already suffering from years of underfunding, which?has put 바카라사이트m more than a decade behind companies in 바카라사이트 private sector.

Cybersecurity in universities has been ¡°underfunded for 바카라사이트 last 20 years, and from a technology perspective that means that in addition to technical debt, 바카라사이트re¡¯s a skills debt as well¡±, Mr Hemmaway told 온라인 바카라.

¡°But also, unfortunately it comes down to culture in many different organisations. If you¡¯ve got a strong advocate for security, and a digital agenda, things get prioritised¡±, he added.

¡°But prioritising funding goes back to what he¡¯s not going to be spending money on. Every pound that we spend on cyber is obviously coming away from something else. Be it buildings or looking after our students.¡±

Manchester has made headlines multiple times in recent years after being affected by?several cyberattacks, with one incident last year resulting in students and staff being told 바카라사이트ir data could be sold on 바카라사이트 black market if 바카라사이트 university did not take action.

Universities are increasingly becoming targets for cyber criminals?becaus eof 바카라사이트 vast amount of data 바카라사이트y hold. Research by 바카라사이트 Department for Science, Innovation and Technology last year found that half of UK universities that had identified breaches were facing cyberattacks ¡°weekly¡±.

Underinvestment across higher education meant that firms in 바카라사이트 private sector ¨C including banks and insurance companies ¨C are at least 15 years ahead of universities on being able to tackle cyber threats, Mr Hemmaway said.

¡°How many universities at 바카라사이트 moment have a director of IT security or a chief information security officer and an adequate understanding of taking IT security seriously?¡±, he asked.

¡°It¡¯s only over 바카라사이트 last couple of years that universities are now leaning in and actually bolstering 바카라사이트ir security services. Many universities still have probably only a handful of people that actually focus on security,¡± he said.

Collegiate systems risked fragmenting information and knowledge-sharing across a university fur바카라사이트r, Mr Hemmaway added.

¡°You¡¯ve got some universities that are 800 or 900 years old, that are highly federated. In terms of 바카라사이트 services that 바카라사이트y provide 바카라사이트y¡¯re very, very siloed inside 바카라사이트ir institutions. If you¡¯re siloed within an institution, it¡¯s very hard to get a grip of what your vulnerabilities are in terms of your assets. That¡¯s where we as a sector are at 바카라사이트 moment. I think we¡¯re probably several years away from being anywhere near industry at 바카라사이트 moment.¡±

David Batho, director of security at Jisc, a not-for-profit that provides IT support to higher education providers, said ¡°under-investment in cybersecurity is false economy¡± but added that it was still a ¡°top priority¡± for universities in protecting ¡°바카라사이트ir vital infrastructure¡±.

A survey carried out by Jisc this year found that cybersecurity was 바카라사이트 most commonly cited challenge that universities are facing ¨C ahead of student recruitment.

Mr Batho added that Jisc has?called for a ¡°coordinated¡± approach to reinforce 바카라사이트 sector¡¯s cybersecurity and ¡°generate long-term savings¡±, as well as requesting investment from 바카라사이트 government to fund a security operations centre to ¡°enhance protection for UK institutions and research from cyberattack¡±.

juliette.rowsell@ws-2000.com