The protection of campus networks and systems is the business of everyone who uses a computer connected to UT's networks. Misuse or vulnerabilities in one area can threaten the security of other users' data and machines. These steps are necessary to keep campus resources secure. While the costs of good security practices may sometimes be significant, the costs of failure to protect resources can be even worse. In 1998, a study funded by the Committee on Institutional Cooperation attempted to estimate lost employee time and damages resulting from computer security incidents.
Many resources are readily available to improve network and computer security.
According to this report, system administrators often do not correct flaws that lead to successful attacks because they do not know which of the more than 500 potential problems are the most dangerous. Most successful attacks on computer systems via the Internet can be traced to a few security flaws. This report, a consensus of security experts' opinions, describes 10 serious threats to Internet security, lists systems affected, and suggests ways to correct the problems. SANS also provides online training and certification courses for people responsible for managing and protecting information systems and networks.