{"680963":{"#nid":"680963","#data":{"type":"news","title":"OIT Spotlight: Georgia Tech Cybersecurity ","body":[{"value":"\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAs cyber threats grow more sophisticated, Georgia Tech\u2019s Office of Information Technology (OIT) Cybersecurity department works to protect the Institute\u2019s digital infrastructure. Through proactive risk management, collaboration, and security initiatives, the team ensures a secure environment that supports research, education, and daily operations across campus.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EA Strategic Approach to Cybersecurity\u003C\/strong\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe OIT Cybersecurity team takes a service-oriented approach, prioritizing risk-based strategies to strengthen security while supporting Georgia Tech\u2019s mission. \u201cWe continuously seek the most effective ways to respond to threats while also preparing for known risks through tabletop exercises and incident response drills,\u201d said Sherman Lofton, senior director of Cybersecurity Operations.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EGeorgia Tech\u2019s cybersecurity team thrives on collaboration and expertise, ensuring that security measures support rather than hinder the Institute\u2019s mission. \u201cThis is accomplished by having strong teams with diverse experiences and expertise and allowing them the room to grow but also realizing that we are here to provide a service to the campus community,\u201d said Sherman.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EAddressing Emerging Threats\u003C\/strong\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAs cyber threats evolve, the team remains focused on mitigating the most pressing risks:\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cul\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EPhishing and Social Engineering Attacks\u003C\/strong\u003E \u2013 Deceptive tactics designed to manipulate individuals into divulging sensitive information.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/li\u003E\u003C\/ul\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cul\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EData Breaches and Ransomware\u003C\/strong\u003E \u2013 Heightened risks due to the Institute\u2019s expansive digital landscape.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/li\u003E\u003C\/ul\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cul\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EDistributed Denial of Service (DDoS) Attacks\u003C\/strong\u003E \u2013 Disruptions targeting critical services across campus.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/li\u003E\u003C\/ul\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EFuture Trends in Cybersecurity\u003C\/strong\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EGeorgia Tech stays ahead of cybersecurity challenges by adopting innovative security strategies. Key trends shaping the future of cybersecurity in higher education include:\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cul\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EZero Trust Architecture\u003C\/strong\u003E \u2013 Implementing continuous verification for system access.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/li\u003E\u003C\/ul\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cul\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ECloud Security Enhancements\u003C\/strong\u003E \u2013 Strengthening protection for cloud-based applications and research data.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/li\u003E\u003C\/ul\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cul\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EAI-Driven Threat Detection\u003C\/strong\u003E \u2013 Leveraging artificial intelligence to improve response times and threat remediation.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/li\u003E\u003C\/ul\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cul\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EInternet of Things (IoT) and Operational Technology (OT) Security\u003C\/strong\u003E \u2013 Securing network-connected devices and infrastructure.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/li\u003E\u003C\/ul\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ECybersecurity and Business Continuity: A Unified Approach\u003C\/strong\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe cybersecurity team works closely with OIT\u2019s business continuity and disaster recovery program, led by IT Disaster Recovery Lead Mudeet Mathur. \u201cPreparation is at the center of any disaster recovery program,\u201d said Mathur. \u201cOperational resilience ensures we can respond quickly and efficiently to security incidents.\u201d\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003ETo strengthen preparedness, the team conducts regular business continuity tabletop exercises, such as a recent simulation addressing how Georgia Tech would continue operations in the event of a Microsoft Teams outage. These exercises help departments refine their communication strategies and disaster response plans.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EKey Accomplishments\u003C\/strong\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe cybersecurity team has achieved significant milestones over the past year, including:\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cul\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EVirtual Southeastern Cyber Cup 2024\u003C\/strong\u003E \u2013 A national-level cybersecurity competition attracting nearly (x) participants from (x) colleges and universities.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/li\u003E\u003C\/ul\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cul\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EGeorgia Tech Payroll Fraud Incident Response\u003C\/strong\u003E \u2013 Rapid containment and mitigation of a high-impact fraud attempt.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/li\u003E\u003C\/ul\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cul\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ESecurity Certifications\u003C\/strong\u003E \u2013 Multiple team members earning Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP) credentials.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/li\u003E\u003C\/ul\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cul\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ELog Management Optimization\u003C\/strong\u003E \u2013 A 50% reduction in daily log ingestion, improving system efficiency.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/li\u003E\u003C\/ul\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cul\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EBusiness Continuity Plan Development\u003C\/strong\u003E \u2013 Successfully creating and testing business continuity plans for OIT, ensuring compliance with the Office of Emergency Management\u2019s policy mandates.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/li\u003E\u003C\/ul\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cul\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ECrisis Management Team Establishment\u003C\/strong\u003E \u2013 Implementing a Senior Leadership Team (SLT) Crisis Management Team to support Georgia Tech\u2019s centralized response efforts.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/li\u003E\u003C\/ul\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EKey Initiatives and Upcoming Projects\u003C\/strong\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe Cybersecurity department is actively working on several projects to enhance security across the Institute:\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cul\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ENetwork Access Control (NAC) Pilot\u003C\/strong\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/li\u003E\u003C\/ul\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cul\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EWeb Application Firewall Implementation\u003C\/strong\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/li\u003E\u003C\/ul\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cul\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EAzure Data Lake Security Enhancements\u003C\/strong\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/li\u003E\u003C\/ul\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cul\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EMigration from Qualys to Tenable for Vulnerability Management\u003C\/strong\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/li\u003E\u003C\/ul\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cul\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EProof of Concept (POC) for Palo Alto XSIAM and IronScales\u003C\/strong\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/li\u003E\u003C\/ul\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cul\u003E\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ECreation and Enhancement of a Master List of Technology Dependencies\u003C\/strong\u003E \u2013 Establishing a comprehensive, standardized technology dependency list for all business continuity plans across Georgia Tech.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/li\u003E\u003C\/ul\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EEmpowering the Georgia Tech Community\u003C\/strong\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003ECybersecurity is a shared responsibility, and education remains a key component of Georgia Tech\u2019s approach. Lofton shares, \u201cThe cybersecurity team\u2019s goal is to empower the campus community with the knowledge and tools they need to stay safe online,\u201d said Lofton.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EOIT provides mandatory biannual compliance training through the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/b.gatech.edu\/KnowBe4\u0022\u003EKnowBe4 \u003C\/a\u003Eplatform, phishing awareness campaigns, and offers resources for faculty, staff, and students to enhance their cyber hygiene.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003ETo contact Cyber Security to report a phishing attempt or security incident, visit \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/security.gatech.edu\/\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EGeorgia Tech\u2019s cybersecurity page\u003C\/a\u003E.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EFor additional cybersecurity resources and information, visit the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/oit.gatech.edu\/cybersecurityawareness\u0022\u003EGeorgia Tech Cybersecurity Awareness page.\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EGeorgia Tech\u2019s OIT Cybersecurity team takes a strategic approach to protecting the Institute\u2019s digital infrastructure, addressing evolving threats including phishing, ransomware, and DDoS attacks. In collaboration with business continuity efforts, they ensure rapid response to incidents and system disruptions. Through proactive risk management, security initiatives, and ongoing training, the team works to keep the campus community informed, resilient, and secure in an increasi digital landscape.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Georgia Tech\u2019s OIT Cybersecurity team protects the Institute\u2019s digital infrastructure with proactive security, collaboration, and innovation to support research, education, and daily operations."}],"uid":"36236","created_gmt":"2025-03-06 15:02:37","changed_gmt":"2025-03-06 15:27:26","author":"adurandean3","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2025-03-06T00:00:00-05:00","iso_date":"2025-03-06T00:00:00-05:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"676483":{"id":"676483","type":"image","title":"iStock-2201575835.png","body":null,"created":"1741274045","gmt_created":"2025-03-06 15:14:05","changed":"1741274677","gmt_changed":"2025-03-06 15:24:37","alt":"Cybersecurity icons overlaid on man typing on keyboard.","file":{"fid":"260280","name":"iStock-2201575835.png","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/03\/06\/iStock-2201575835.png","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/03\/06\/iStock-2201575835.png","mime":"image\/png","size":1173306,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2025\/03\/06\/iStock-2201575835.png?itok=9JHK9QoI"}}},"media_ids":["676483"],"related_links":[{"url":"https:\/\/security.gatech.edu\/","title":"Contact Georgia Tech Cyber Security"},{"url":"https:\/\/security.gatech.edu\/training","title":"KnowBe4 Cybersecurity Training"},{"url":"https:\/\/oit.gatech.edu\/cybersecurityawareness","title":"Georgia Tech Cybersecurity Awareness"}],"groups":[{"id":"174291","name":"OIT"}],"categories":[{"id":"153","name":"Computer Science\/Information Technology and Security"}],"keywords":[{"id":"1404","name":"Cybersecurity"},{"id":"8111","name":"phishing"},{"id":"9299","name":"Office of Information Technology"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[],"email":["adurandean3@gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}}}