Colleges give themselves C+ for network security

Colleges give themselves modest marks in network security and fear malware the most among a long list of potential threats, according to a survey of university technology executives.

Most (84%) of higher-education IT professionals queried say their networks are more secure today than five years ago but overall those who answered still score the security of their networks an average of 3.7 out of 5 - roughly a C+.

Based on results of the Association for Information Communications Technology Professionals in Higher Education (ACUTA) survey, the 68 respondents see mobile devices as the most vulnerable points in their networks, but say that viruses and other malware actually pose a greater danger. Internal controls are also a weak point, as are defenses against potentially dangerous downloads and student hackers.