In recent years there has been news of ransom attacks causing financial damage where an institution allegedly handed over $20 000 to cybercriminals, and malware attacks caused a shutdown for a day while IT professionals rebuilt the system.

Even more significant than financial losses, cyberattacks pose a threat to a university's reputation and the safety of its students. Understanding widespread vulnerabilities, and common types of cyberattacks, and preventing breaches can help university leaders prioritise security strategies to safeguard student and institutional data and resources.

There is no one-size-fits-all security solution to preventing all attacks, but university management can minimise these by prioritising the following cybersecurity strategies: