Science Minister Clemens Hoch: We are expanding information security at universities in the state

The university presidents and Science Minister Clemens Hoch have signed a new joint state strategy in Mainz to increase information security at universities in Rhineland-Palatinate.

"Universities are also increasingly being targeted by cyber criminals. With their sensitive data, they must therefore be better prepared for cyber attacks in the future. I am delighted that we have found a joint response to the increasing threat to universities in the state with the new state strategy to increase information security. Our universities will work together even more closely on this topic in future in order to share experiences, learn from each other and join forces. The state is supporting them in this process and is providing a total of around five million euros in the upcoming double budget to strengthen information security," said Science Minister Clemens Hoch at the signing ceremony.

"The universities in Rhineland-Palatinate greatly appreciate the efforts made by the state to increase their information security. We are aware that these are indispensable investments that we as universities can only meet together with the support of the state. In view of the vulnerability of our digital infrastructures, it is extremely necessary and wise to pool the expertise of our universities and make efficient use of synergies in order to jointly develop solutions for greater cyber security," added Prof. Dr. Susanne Weissman, Chairwoman of the State Conference of University Presidents (LHPK) and President of Mainz University of Applied Sciences.

With the new state strategy to increase information security at universities, a series of measures have been agreed to make universities more resistant to security threats in the future. If security incidents do occur, they should also be able to react in a structured and planned manner. To this end, measures at the individual universities and central measures have been closely coordinated. Clear responsibilities and processes with regard to information security are to be created locally. At the same time, exchange and cooperation are to be strengthened in order to pool existing expertise and learn from the experiences of other universities.

Among other things, information security officers are to be established at all universities to further promote information security in an advisory and coordinating capacity on site and in exchange with the information security officers of other universities. Where full-time information security officers have already been established, the additional personnel resources can be used for a specific purpose in the area of information security - for example to set up a deputy.
In addition, the universities want to gradually implement the requirements of the IT baseline protection methodology of the Federal Office for Information Security (BSI) by 2030 if possible. A new Information Security Service Center ("RARP SIS") is also to be set up at the University of Kaiserslautern-Landau as another service of the Rhineland-Palatinate Data Center Alliance (RARP), which will advise and support the universities in the introduction of BSI baseline protection, bundle relevant information on information security and build up a university-wide pool of training and awareness measures. The individual universities have limited IT resources to deal with serious incidents such as cyber attacks. In a cooperative structure such as the RARP SIS, the expertise and information available locally can be pooled more effectively in future.

Regular monitoring of the implementation status of the national strategy by the information security officers should ensure implementation progress, identify obstacles at an early stage and ensure a solution-oriented exchange of information.

Found on https://mwg.rlp.de/service/pressemitteilungen/detail/wissenschaftsminister-clemens-hoch-wir-bauen-die-informationssicherheit-der-hochschulen-im-land-aus