Security is Number One IT Issue According to 2008 Current Issues Survey Report

EDUCAUSE has published the results of the 2008 Current Issues Survey, and this year Security edged out Funding IT as the top strategic challenge.

The latest EDUCAUSE Quarterly article, "Current Issues Survey Report, 2008", states:

It is no wonder that IT security has again emerged as the top strategic issue for colleges and universities given the increasing amount of critical data and new services that are available electronically and need to be protected. The persistence of security incidents and reported data breaches, and a growing number of compliance requirements including security-related state and federal regulations and contractual obligations, make this a central and acute concern of all IT organizations, no matter their institutions' sizes and missions. College and university personnel have a daunting task to ensure the security of information resources while operating within a culture of openness and decentralization. In addition, the changing nature of the threats continues to challenge IT organizations.

The article goes on to suggest security issues that institutions need to address. Security-related resources are available as part of the 2008 Current Issues Resources.