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“Cyber incidents are so prevalent that, on average, there is more than one incident per school day.”—The Cybersecurity & Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA)
Despite the constant and growing threat, a significant number of colleges and universities do not have the proper cybersecurity protection. While businesses invest in cutting-edge cybersecurity tools and tactics, many schools rely on outdated technology and lack the tools to stay a step ahead of hackers.
In this guide, we will look at “Why is cybersecurity important in education?” and how an educators cooperative can improve your cyber defenses.
CISA says K-12 schools are frequent targets for ransomware and other cyberattacks because they are “target rich, cyber poor.” The extensive data residing on school networks is extremely valuable to cybercriminals. Research data is also a frequent target for nation-state actors.
When data breaches occur, they are costly. IBM’s Cost of a Data Breach Report 2024 puts the average cost of a breach at $4.88 million, an increase of 10% from last year. It can take months or even years to fully recover from a cyberattack.
Nearly 80% of higher education institutions experienced a ransomware attack last year. About half of the colleges hit by ransomware attacks paid the ransom, averaging about $1.3 million. Besides the financial cost, paying the ransom is discouraged. “Paying a ransom doesn’t guarantee you or your organization will get any data back,” according to the FBI. “It also encourages perpetrators to target more victims and offers an incentive for others to get involved in this type of illegal activity.”
Regardless, cyberattacks can damage reputations, expose sensitive data, and often take months or even years to fully recover.
Becoming a member of an education-focused purchasing cooperative can help you build a more mature cybersecurity framework to protect your institution. An educator’s cooperative pools collective demand from its members to leverage greater buying power. This typically results in significant volume discounts and contracts with terms favorable to colleges and universities.
One of the primary ways education cooperatives support institutions is by helping them source and competitively solicit contracts with Managed Security Service Providers (MSSPs). Identifying and vetting qualified MSSPs can be both time-consuming and complex, especially for schools with limited IT or procurement resources.
Cooperative purchasing organizations simplify this process by conducting comprehensive research and evaluating MSSPs on behalf of their members. They evaluate potential suppliers based on criteria such as service offerings, reputation, pricing, and ability to comply with regulatory standards like FERPA (Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act).
Through competitive solicitation, cooperatives ensure that schools receive top-tier cybersecurity services and benefit from competitive pricing.
Cost-Effective Procurement
Education cooperatives can negotiate favorable terms with MSSPs, often leading to lower pricing than individual institutions could achieve on their own. This group purchasing model helps academic institutions maximize their limited budgets while still accessing high-quality cybersecurity services.
Cooperatives streamline procurement, reducing the administrative burden of evaluating and negotiating contracts with MSSPs. This allows educational leaders to focus on core responsibilities, such as delivering quality education, while ensuring their cybersecurity needs are met.
Access to Pre-vetted Vendors
When you become a member of an education cooperative, you get access to contracts with MSSPs that have been thoroughly vetted for compliance with industry standards, best practices, and the unique needs of educational institutions. This means schools can trust that they are working with providers who understand the regulatory landscape and the specific security challenges facing educational environments.
Education cooperatives offer a strategic advantage for schools looking to strengthen their cybersecurity while managing costs and complexity.
While there are many group purchasing organizations, there is only one nonprofit cooperative that focuses exclusively on the education sector. E&I Cooperative Services serves the education community with deep experience from educational procurement leaders and category specialists. E&I Cooperative Services is member-owned and exists to serve the needs of its 6,000 member institutions.
Because it is a nonprofit, any proceeds are applied to organizational needs or returned directly to members in the form of patronage refunds. In addition, many contracts include additional volume discounts, rebates, or incentives.
E&I Cooperative Services has dedicated reps for every college and university to help guide you and provide expert advice.
There is no cost to become a member and no minimum purchasing requirements. Contact E&I Cooperative Services to learn more about becoming a member or view available cybersecurity contracts.
