Why Higher Ed CIOs Must Rethink Cybersecurity

Decentralization and Sprawl Complicate University IT Programs Jennifer Lawinski • January 21, 2026

Higher education CIOs are working in unique environments where openness and innovation thrive, but recent high-profile breaches at elite institutions show the challenges they face in keeping systems secure.

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Several Ivy League universities - including Harvard and Princeton - experienced hacks in 2025 through unpatched enterprise software and sophisticated social engineering campaigns, showing that even the nation's wealthiest universities are vulnerable.

To combat these rising threats, university CIOs need to rethink their operating models, governance and IT ownership structures, said Rob Belk, a cybersecurity consultant with EY.

"This is probably the most interesting cyber topic that doesn't include the word AI," Belk said ...