National Cybersecurity Awareness Month may be over, but cybersecurity remains a year-round priority for the research and higher education community.
In a recent Campus Technology interview, James Deaton, vice president of network services at Internet2, highlighted network routing security as a critical component of a strong defense strategy. Although often less visible than other cybersecurity concerns, routing incidents still pose significant risks.
“Routing security incidents may not make news headlines like ransomware attacks or major data breaches … However, the impacts of routing security are real and significant,” Deaton said.
A compromised network can lead to downtime, data loss, disrupted programs, and financial consequences. Severe incidents can even cause reputational damage, affecting an institution’s ability to attract students, faculty, and funding.
The Internet2 Routing Integrity Initiative, led by Internet2 subject matter expert Steven Wallace in collaboration with the R&E community, promotes routing security best practices. RPKI adoption is a top priority to prevent route hijacking and leaks, supporting resilient R&E networks for education, research, and public service.