How cloud migration increases colleges’ data security?

20th March 2023

How cloud migration increases colleges’ data security: protect the people that matter most

Recent cyber-attacks on colleges have resulted in the loss of important data, putting students and staff at risk. Moving to secure cloud systems provides the security needed to give colleges peace of mind and save money says Marcus Blackburn, Operations Director at Civica Education.

In recent years, we’ve seen a spate of high-profile cyber-attacks on colleges and further education (FE) institutions. It’s a common tactic for cyber criminals to use ransomware attacks on their targets. Usually, attackers work their way to gaining access to a college’s on-site systems and delete or encrypt files and data. They’ll then issue a ransom note demanding payment in return for release of the stolen data.

Further education, along with the wider education sector, has seen an increase in ransomware attacks over recent years. Organisations which use a range of different systems and which have large numbers of people accessing their network are particularly vulnerable to cyber threats. And with the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) indicating that 88% of FE colleges had identified and reported a breach or attack in the last year, it’s not a threat that is going away any time soon.

Once attacked, colleges found themselves immediately unable to deliver services, make or receive payments or even access records. It's hard to exaggerate the scale and effect of these incidents. Impacts are mainly felt on three levels: operationally, as colleges struggle to get back up and running; financially, as revenues are lost and remediation costs pile up; and reputationally, as people question the security of the data that’s held about them.

1. The operational impact

In many cases, it has taken colleges weeks, or even months, to fully recover from a cyber-attack. Restoring a compromised IT estate can be exceptionally challenging, time-consuming, and stressful for everyone. Teachers, administrators, managers and students can be affected by operational disruption, as well as key stakeholders like suppliers and employers.

For the short-term, the safest course of action is to shut down all IT systems hosted internally, which can include email and virtual learning environments. There have been instances where college enrolments and online classes were cancelled until further notice and A-level result announcements were delayed. To get back up and running operationally, IT teams needed to work overtime, often employing external consultants to help with the workload.

2. The financial impact

For many IT departments, safeguarding infrastructure poses a significant challenge to the budget in many ways. From Jisc CSIRT’s work in helping HE institutions and FES providers recover from ransomware incidents, they are aware of impact costs exceeding £2m. That’s precious funds that could be used elsewhere to enhance the learning and infrastructure of the college.

Recovery costs can also extend to hardware that’s compromised during attacks – from on-site servers to the devices used by individual staff. These may need replacing and reinstalling, costing thousands of pounds.

3. The reputational impact

You don’t have to do extensive research to discover high-profile reports of colleges and groups who have suffered from cyber-attacks. The negative headlines can be damaging for colleges who often compete for student admissions.

What can colleges and FE institutions do to tighten security their IT estate and operations?

Security isn’t optional

Moving to cloud solutions means colleges no longer need to choose between ‘more security’ and ‘better usability’. Many colleges moving to the cloud want to integrate and streamline their processes and operate more efficiently, enabling college providers to ease burdensome administrative tasks such as HR, student admissions, timetabling and records management. Staff members and students can securely access, amend and update information from anywhere. There are also scalability benefits which are not easily available on-premises without in-house system development teams.

Ultimately, colleges and FE groups are tasked with providing high-quality education for students. Resource should rarely be focused on updating and maintaining IT services. By choosing a cloud-operated supplier, who is responsible for aspects such as security and upgrades, colleges can focus on improving the student experience, driving retention and attracting new students. Colleges can then shift their focus to managing operational costs and forecasting budgets more effectively, rather than on data and software security.

Every cloud has a silver lining

It's not just about security. Today, all colleges are facing significant challenges around budgets, resources, and compliance. They’re faced with the classic ‘do more with less’ conundrum – deliver a better (mostly digital) service but with less money and fewer people. Migrating to the cloud is an opportunity to improve student enrolment and retention, internal and external communications, as well as refocus energies on the purpose of further education – teaching, learning and research.

Cloud MIS can tackle these challenges from several angles. Their self-serve options can cut workloads for internal teams. There’s no IT estate to manage and update, because access is via URL on any connected device. Reporting is easier and more powerful. And importantly, costs are predictable.

Cost savings offer another compelling incentive for colleges to adopt a cloud-optimised environment. By only paying for the services that are used, the cloud offers significant opportunities to accelerate the return on investment – as well as eliminating the threat of costly and disruptive workload from system failures of cyberattacks.

Do more with less. Civica can help protect your data from cybercrime.

Civica REMS cloud system has the scale and focused expertise that’s needed to combat cyber threats. It’s hosted in highly secure data centres, with its security capabilities constantly updating to reflect the changing threat landscape. Colleges and FE groups can manage and support learners with no need to secure on-premises hardware and software.

As cyberattacks continue to increase in our ever-more digital world, taking action to move more systems to the secure cloud could be the answer, bringing peace of mind and cost-effective solutions to already money and time-strapped colleges across the UK.

Discover more about how Civica can help your college protect the people that matter most. It’s time to start the conversation.