Intelligent CISO Issue 43 | Page 57

L management solution , has announced a study on the solutions and strategies needed to protect critical systems and sensitive data based on an IDG survey of 300 IT professionals employed at higher education institutions . The company ’ s report suggests that the best strategy to stop cyberattacks in higher education is instituting better password hygiene through a password management tool .

LastPass reveals findings on IT security risks in higher education

astPass , by LogMeIn , an industry leading password

L management solution , has announced a study on the solutions and strategies needed to protect critical systems and sensitive data based on an IDG survey of 300 IT professionals employed at higher education institutions . The company ’ s report suggests that the best strategy to stop cyberattacks in higher education is instituting better password hygiene through a password management tool .

The IDG survey found that 88 % of institutions suffered an IT security infringement because of poor password management this year alone . Four in 10 respondents reported difficulty keeping up with cyberattacks , and 32 % were stymied by the task of protecting every entry point and device accessing the institution ' s data and applications .
A password manager can help solve these problems . Password management involves storing , securing and managing credentials by following best practices including saving passwords in an encrypted , digital vault and never reusing a password to prevent unauthorised access to an organisation ’ s data . When selecting a password manager for a higher education institution , the top needs to consider are :
• Ease of use and convenient password storage
• The survey showed that 75 % of respondents report ease-of-use as a critical feature when evaluating a vendor ’ s solution . Users should be able to generate unique passwords , easily save and fill credentials and rely on secure and flexible sharing for collaborative teams , from IT to the marketing department even those external to the institution such as students and alumni , all while maintaining accountability .
• Greater control of employee-student hybrid environments
• 27 % of respondents want integrations with an existing environment .
• Using an intuitive and centralised administration console , a password management solution can provide IT leaders with greater insight into their working environment and more access control – without a heavy lift . For example , by integrating with an existing user directory and revoking user access in real time , IT teams can ensure critical data doesn ’ t depart each semester along with migrating staff and students .
• Custom packaging to meet varying needs
• 25 % of respondents want group management and by offering highly customisable packages , the right solution can accommodate a wide array of IT needs , including secure password management for IT teams and collaborative staff departments .
• Personal accounts and accessibility for all
• According to respondents , 24 % want secure accessibility from any browser and device .
• To better serve today ’ s diverse study body , the right password management solution should be able to offer private vault functionality for personal credentials , plus keyboard navigation , updated proper colour contrast and readability for accessible use for everyone on campus . The solution should also include added regions and language tags to allow users to navigate with screen readers and keyboards .
Kim Milford , Executive Director , The Research and Education Networks Information Sharing and Analysis Centre , said : “ Password management solutions can complement institutional policies and identity management practices by improving user convenience , reducing the risks of password reuse and password sharing and enhance the administration of account terminations and forgotten passwords .” u intelligent DATA SECURITY www . intelligentciso . com
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