Watch now: Central Illinois universities wary of cybersecurity threats | Local Education

NORMAL — Illinois State University is working to address several potential cybersecurity weaknesses identified in its most recent state audit. The changes come as universities across the country are working in a constantly evolving cybersecurity landscape.

The audit from the Illinois Auditor General identified weakness associated with the formal information technology policies as well as more specific issues around the management of application accounts. Released May 26, the report covers the period from June 30, 2020, to June 30, 2021.

Dan Taube, chief information security officer for the university, said ISU staff members are working to address the issues brought up in the audit, and to make continual efforts toward keeping the university’s networks safe.

Those efforts include formalizing updated IT policies, which are central to making sure all 60,000 accounts that interact with the ISU network are not becoming vulnerabilities, Taube said.

“The truth about cybersecurity is it’s everyone,” he said.

Other steps ISU has taken to address weaknesses include improving communication to delete accounts from some applications soon after an employee leaves the university or changes jobs.

Managing what accounts have access to certain data can help address the issue with measures such as limitations on what student accounts can access, FBI Springfield Computer Scientist Justin Harris said….