Cybersecurity risks at colleges and universities continue to evolve, with institutions frequently targeted due to the sensitive personal, academic, and financial data they manage. Security awareness training has emerged as a critical frontline defense against these threats. But how effective are the current efforts across higher education?

CampusCISO recently analyzed data from over 200 cybersecurity assessments completed by colleges and universities using our CYBER HEAT MAP framework. We found significant variability in how institutions implement and measure the success of security awareness training programs.

One key finding from our analysis (see Figure 1 below) is that only 3% of institutions achieved training completion rates above 90% among faculty and staff within the past year—and no institutions achieved this benchmark for student training programs. This inconsistency reveals a crucial opportunity for colleges and universities to enhance their cybersecurity resilience by strengthening their training programs.

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