Why Cybersecurity Matters to FIT
In the 2-plus years since we formally launched the Cybersafe program at FIT, the reaction has been almost exclusively positive and receptive. We’ve had the chance to talk with students, faculty, and staff, about what Cybersafety is, why it’s important, and what they can do to safeguard their information and identity at FIT and in their personal lives. Because of the enthusiasm of the community, the program has been successful and has shown measurable results.
However, I still meet people at FIT who tell me that Cybersecurity is not relevant to a college. They say that security precautions are an unnecessary bother. “We are not a bank”, so why would cyber criminals attack us? There are lots of reasons, ranging from the number of valuable identities we store in our system to the potential reputational damage someone might want to inflict in an increasingly uncivil time. In fact, our various monitoring systems have detected and blocked several hundred attacks against FIT’s systems from around the globe just since the beginning of 2019. Tactics range from malware to web-based attacks against our public-facing systems, and they happen on almost a daily basis.
Another major reason that criminals attack colleges and government institutions is to use them as jumping-off points to hack other institutions. This past Friday we had to respond to an attack that came from a governmental agency in the tri-state area. Clearly a malactor had somehow compromised that agency and was using it as a base of operation. Just as clearly, that’s not a position we want to ever be in.
In summary: remember 2 things:
- Every individual and institution including FIT, is a target.
- Everyone can help to reduce cyber risk at FIT.
If everyone contributes, we can continue to keep FIT Cybersafe.
About Cybersafe
The Division of Information Technology is dedicated to informing the community of the latest cybersecurity threats. Visit fitnyc.edu/cybersafe and stay tuned for emails from [email protected] for the latest from the Cybersafe campaign at FIT.
-Walter Kerner
Assistant Vice-President and Chief Information Security Officer