Developing Cost-effective Cybersecurity Management System for Academic Institutions in Saudi Arabia

Technology in the recent years has dramatically invaded the education system and profoundly changed the classroom landscape, especially in modern universities. Internet of Things (IoT) devices, such as automated attendance tracker, interactive whiteboards, etc., are significantly utilized to create a positive and engaging classroom atmosphere. Unfortunately, some emerging universities deploy these smart tools before establishing an effective cybersecurity management system to protect critical characteristics of information, i.e., confidentiality, integrity, and availability. The cybersecurity management system in academic institutions is the most-targeted system for cyberattacks, which is growing rapidly and hits businesses worldwide every day. To shed lights on the impact of this critical problem, we introduce a cybersecurity management system designed specifically for academic institutions based on Saudi Arabia. The paper also looks closely at the best practices and the adoption of international information security management standards deployed in worldwide academic institutions.