The dark web, a place inhabited by people looking for
ways to profit from selling malware, poses a real threat to higher education. The Digital Citizens Alliance recently found nearly 14 million email
addresses and passwords for faculty, staff, students, and alumni from U.S.
colleges and university, 79% of them added to the dark web last year.
“Because [higher-education institutions] have large-capacity
Internet connection links that served all the students and large-capacity
servers that are designed for many users, they are almost always on and
attackers never have to worry if a part of their infrastructure will be
available for use,” Will Glass, a senior analyst for the cybersecurity firm
FireEye, wrote in the Alliance study.
The first line of defense is better passwords. The
report noted that too many young people use the same password for multiple
services, making it easier for hackers. Colleges and universities are also installing
security systems that automatically block users from downloading unapproved
applications.
“We are constantly working to make sure that we
incorporate layers of security, all working together to help protect the
university’s data and assets,” said Timothy Cureton, IT security coordinator at
Arkansas State University, Jonesboro. “At the same time, this approach still
allows us to have that openness that we’ve always had and want to continue to
have.”
