Exploring cybersecurity challenges of digital transformation in higher education

Cybersecurity is a critical issue when it comes to the digital transformation of operations and services undertaken by many organizations and sectors worldwide. In Saudi Arabia, the government aimed to improve the education sector by integrating the latest technologies in learning and by automating the workflow within schools and universities. In this study, we explore how potential cybersecurity threats resulting from the digital transformation are managed by Saudi higher educational Institutions. We conducted semi-structured interviews with cybersecurity and digital transformation experts to understand their digital transformation and risk management plans and practices. Based on our findings, the adoption of advanced technologies, such as IoT devices and cloud computing services, can lead to security and privacy risks, particularly the possibility of unauthorized access and misuse of data. Our study also reveals the key challenges organizations face when securing their systems, including the limited awareness among staff and students about cybersecurity issues and data compliance rules, the lack of resources, and the legacy systems and infrastructures. This study also outlines a set of practices to protect the digital infrastructure and resources within educational institutions.