Developed by EDUCAUSE’s Higher Education Information Security Council (HEISEC), the Higher Education Community Vendor Assessment Tool (HECVAT) is an example of a formal framework created to help institutions assess their vendor risk. Whether using the HECVAT framework or another assessment method, institutions that prioritize a comprehensive review of all solutions handling student data can catch the underlying hooks that may also expose them to vulnerabilities.
3. Staying up to date on new state regulations strengthens privacy practices.
At the state level, regulations on privacy and security for student and teacher data in higher education have begun to take effect, and they are spreading across the country. It’s becoming more typical for states to establish legislation requiring institutions to go through these vendor risk assessments and selecting certified vendors before implementing technologies that will utilize student data to drive their success. As an example, Texas recently established a new rule that requires higher ed institutions and public community colleges to undergo a stringent authorization process when implementing cloud-based technologies for both new and existing contracts. Closely following privacy and security legislation and preparing for them in advance can help institutions stay ahead when it comes to student and faculty data privacy.
4. Creating a culture of privacy and security
While following best practices is important, educating students and faculty about security and data privacy is proven as one of the most effective methods in creating trust and thwarting attacks. Ultimately, students and faculty own their data and are key contributors in creating a holistic culture of protection. With buy-in from all users as stewards of good data practices and rigorous privacy and security standards in place, institutions can focus on the benefits of new technologies with confidence in their ability to effectively mitigate risk.
Stephan Geering is the Global Privacy Officer & Associate General Counsel at Anthology.
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