Menu
Because cybercriminals have typically focused on large companies with a wealth of data, these companies have largely improved their cybersecurity measures over the past few years. Attackers are now shifting their approach to more vulnerable targets, such as educational institutions.
Cyberattacks against schools have increased 37% over the past year. This comes on the heels of a 114% increase from 2020 to 2022, according to a Bank of America survey, which showed the education sector with the highest volume of attacks on any industry for every month during the survey period.
While the problem is well-known, finding solutions has been challenging for many schools facing tight budgets and a host of other problems, such as declining enrollment and rising expenses. Partnering with a purchasing cooperative that focuses on the education sector can help you find the cybersecurity solutions you need to protect your institution.
One of the key benefits of working with an educational cooperative is the ability to negotiate and manage contracts with multiple suppliers. By leveraging the collective bargaining power of multiple institutions, purchasing cooperatives can secure more favorable terms with contracts tailored to the unique needs of colleges and universities.
In cybersecurity, educational cooperation can lower costs for higher ed with managed security service providers (MSSPs), such as:
When you work with an education cooperative, you get a team of procurement professionals who focus on the education sector. They understand the challenges schools are facing. Category experts also have deep insight into cybersecurity providers, sourcing and competitively soliciting top-tier suppliers that cater to the education sector.
This experience helps colleges and universities find cybersecurity providers who understand how to balance the open academic environment with robust security, protect sensitive data and intellectual property, and comply with complex regulations. This produces solutions that work better for higher ed than a one-size-fits-all approach for other industries.
Educational cooperatives have demonstrated success in building comprehensive programs. Whether it’s a focus on sustainability, diversity, or cybersecurity, an education-focused cooperative can enhance your current programs or build them from the ground up.
This process is especially valuable for smaller institutions that may have less mature cybersecurity practices or need an outsourced solution. Consider what happened to Lincoln College, a private school in Illinois that was forced to close permanently after 157 years due to a ransomware attack. Even after paying a ransomware demand, they were unable to continue operations.
By leveraging their experience across multiple institutions, educational cooperatives can find affordable solutions to help develop mature cybersecurity programs.
Besides a mature cybersecurity framework, education and training are key components of strong defenses and improving cybersecurity education in schools. The majority of cyberattacks succeed through human error. According to Verizon’s 2024 Data Breach Investigations Report, 68% of breaches began with someone taking action, such as failing to recognize a phishing email and clicking on a malicious link.
One mistake by anyone using a college or university system can put your data at risk. Students, faculty, and staff need cybersecurity education to stay safe. This is particularly important in today’s environment where AI tools have empowered threat actors to craft new tactics and deploy attacks at scale.
When you are considering cooperative purchasing, there are several options. However, partnering with an organization that focuses exclusively on the education sector provides significant benefits.
E&I Cooperative Services is the only member-owned, non-profit organization that works solely in the education sector. As a member-owned purchasing cooperative, E&I Cooperative Services works on behalf of its 6,000 academic institution members, that actively offer strategic guidance for the organization. This provides deep insight into what schools need, helping create tailored solutions. By aggregating the combined purchasing power of its members, E&I Cooperative Services can negotiate bulk volume discounts to obtain lower prices beyond what most schools could negotiate on their own.
All contracts are competitively solicited and available for use. There is no cost to become a member of E&I Cooperative Services and no minimum purchase requirements.
Learn more about the benefits of membership at E&I Cooperative Services or view available contracts.
