Universities and research institutions handle a large amount of sensitive data on a daily basis: personal information of students and faculty, results of scientific projects, credentials to access digital infrastructure and funding. The security of this data is critical to ensure user privacy and protect intellectual property.

However, the academic sector is often the target of cyber attacks due to the large surface area of exposure and the presence of multiple users with different levels of authorization. Therefore, it is essential to take a strategic approach to identity and access management (IAM).

What are the main risks?

The most common attacks against universities and research institutions include:

• Credential theft and unauthorized access - Student, faculty and researcher accounts can be compromised and used to access confidential data.
• Theft of research data - Information from academic studies and funded projects can be subject to theft and industrial espionage.
• Ransomware attacks - Cyber criminals can block access to data by demanding ransom, severely affecting research and teaching activities.
• Uncontrolled use of IT resources - Universities provide access to digital services to thousands of users, but without a proper management system, improper access or data loss can occur.

The most effective solutions to protect academic data

To address these challenges, it is crucial to implement IAM tools specific to the research and higher education sector. Here are some key solutions:

Single Sign-On (SSO) for secure, centralized access

By adopting an SSO system such as Apereo CAS, users can access multiple university services (e-mail, teaching portals, research repositories, VPN) with a single authentication, reducing the need to manage multiple passwords and improving security.

Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) to protect credentials

Enabling multi-factor authentication is essential to protect the accounts of faculty and researchers accessing sensitive data. The use of hardware tokens, authentication apps or OTP codes reduces the risk of credential compromise.

Advanced identity management with SCIM and automated provisioning

Universities continuously manage the entry and exit of thousands of users (students, administrative staff, contract faculty). With protocols such as SCIM and provisioning tools such as Apache Syncope, access can be assigned and revoked automatically, avoiding manual errors and improving governance.

Access control to research data

Research institutions need strict access management to scientific data and digital repositories. Implementing granular policies, with role-based authentication and authorization levels, helps restrict access to only authorized users while protecting intellectual property.

Integration with national digital identities (SPID and CIE)

For access to academic and administrative services, universities can leverage integration with SPID and CIE to ensure secure authentications that comply with national regulations, facilitating interaction with students and staff.

Tirasa's commitment to security in the academic sector

Tirasa supports universities and research institutions in implementing scalable and secure IAM solutions based on open source technologies. With a focused approach to academic data protection, we offer tools for digital identity management, advanced authentication and access control, ensuring high security standards without compromising usability.

Want to improve the security of your academic data? Contact us to find out how we can help.