With the increasing reliance on digital tools and online platforms in education, it’s crucial to ensure that sensitive student information remains confidential and protected from unauthorized access.
Student data includes everything from names and contact details to grades, disciplinary records, and even health information. Unauthorized access or exposure of this data can lead to identity theft, reputational harm, and violations of privacy laws, such as FERPA (Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act).
Best Practices for Safeguarding Student Data
Follow these tips to protect student information:
- Understand the types of student data you handle – Start by identifying what kind of student data you’re working with. Is it personally identifiable information (PII), academic records or health-related data? Knowing what you have helps in determining the best ways to protect it.
- Use strong passwords and multi-factor authentication – Create unique, complex passwords for systems that store or access student data. Enable multi-factor authentication (MFA) whenever possible to add an extra layer of protection.
- Limit access to sensitive Information – Not everyone needs access to all student data. Only grant access to data that individuals need to perform their job functions.
- Encrypt data during storage and transmission – Encryption helps protect data by making it unreadable to unauthorized users. You must use a Virtual Private Network (VPN) when accessing protected proprietary and confidential data while working offsite on an unsecured wireless network. K-State’s VPN is GlobalProtect and is free for all active K-State students, faculty and staff. Also, you should enable encryption on emails when transmitting sensitive data.
- Avoid storing data on personal devices – Refrain from downloading or storing student data on personal devices like laptops, smartphones, or USB drives. Use secure, university-approved storage solutions such as OneDrive.
- Report suspicious activity Immediately – If you suspect that student data has been compromised, report it to your IT support staff or email abuse@ksu.edu immediately. Quick action can help contain and mitigate potential breaches.
- Be careful with email recipients and ‘Reply-All‘ – Always verify the email addresses of recipients before sending messages containing sensitive student data. Avoid using ‘Reply-All’ unless absolutely necessary to prevent unintentionally sharing information with unintended parties. When emailing multiple recipients who don’t need to see each other’s contact information, use the blind carbon copy (BCC) field. Before hitting send, review the email content to ensure no confidential information is being shared inappropriately.
Protecting student data isn’t just the responsibility of IT staff—it’s a shared responsibility across departments. By following these best practices, we can create a safer environment that respects students’ privacy and ensures compliance with legal requirements.
