Tambellini Announces Cybersecurity Advisory Practice for Higher Education

Provides Expert Consultation and Guidance for Managing Cyber Risks

Irvington, Virginia – July 27, 2017 –  The Tambellini Group, the world’s leading independent research and advisory firm dedicated exclusively to higher education, today announced the establishment of the first cybersecurity advisory service tailored for the specific needs of higher education.

The Tambellini Group recognized the vital need for a higher education-focused Cybersecurity Advisory Practice, and created a personalized approach to manage risk and protect the privacy of students, parents, faculty and staff. The practice offers strategic guidance including:

• Thought leadership on market trends impacting Higher Education, including emerging threats, technologies, and regulations (including the EU General Data Protection Regulation [GDPR] and FERPA).
• Analysis of the current cybersecurity vendor landscape, comprised of over 1,000 software and services providers, and the selection decisions being made in higher education.
• Collaborative assessment of the institution’s current enterprise security posture and identification of people, process, and technology gaps. Advisory services identify where assets are, and how to determine threats.
• Advice on cybersecurity technology adoption readiness, including required investment levels and people/skill.
• Help for institutions to build support for cybersecurity initiatives across all levels of the institution, from the Board, President, Provost, Legal, Compliance, and IT.

“We have identified the need for a holistic Cybersecurity Advisory Practice addressing the complex cybersecurity threat landscape faced by higher education,” said Vicki Tambellini, President and Chief Executive Officer of The Tambellini Group. “Students are particularly vulnerable to cyberattack, due to their tendencies to reuse passwords and accept social media invitations from strangers, as well as their expectations of 24×7 information availability.”

“Furthermore,” Tambellini continued, “higher education institutions collect and store valuable information that attackers want, such as student and parent data. By storing financial data, health data, and social security numbers – as well as intellectual property such as proprietary research and patent data – institutions are a prime target. Unfortunately, aging IT infrastructures and constrained budgets are hindering the institutions’ ability to readily protect their information.”

The Tambellini Group Cybersecurity Advisory Practice is led by Katelyn Ilkani, Vice President, Cybersecurity Research, and includes collaboration with top cybersecurity experts nationwide and globally.

About The Tambellini Group
The Tambellini Group (TTG) is the only independent research and analyst firm dedicated exclusively to higher education. With a database of the technology selections of more than 18,900 global institutions, and with a team of analysts and researchers who have decades of higher education expertise, TTG offers unbiased analysis and objective insight on education technology and market trends with verifiable data. TTG helps higher education executives, business leaders, and the investment community make fact-based technology decisions to achieve their key strategic goals. Founded in 2001, TTG is a woman-owned business headquartered in Irvington, Virginia. www.thetambellinigroup.com

Media Contact:
Mary McDaniel, Chief Marketing Officer
The Tambellini Group
(p) 803.917.2668
(e) mary.mcdaniel@thetambellinigroup.com

Cybersecurity Advisory Practice Contact:
Katelyn Ilkani, VP, Cybersecurity Research
The Tambellini Group
(p) 919.605.1415
(e) katelyn.Ilkani@thetambellinigroup.com