How Securing Alumni Data Is Pivotal To Building Trust
Securing the data of constituents is a principal duty of institutions
The year 2020 served as a warning that anyone can be the victim of a data breach. More than 120 non-profit organisations learnt that their data was at risk after a breach in Blackbaud's platforms by a ransomware attack. Millions of donors, customers, and staffers were affected, and the incident became the most impacting data breach of 2020.
The ransomware fiasco necessitates reiterating the principal duty of educational institutions to secure the data of their trusting constituents.
Advancement leaders are custodians of data of thousands of alumni and donors, and securing their data must be their highest priority. A lapse in security can have a damaging effect on advancement, as years of relationship-building can be undone by one moment of vulnerability. It is, therefore, the responsibility of institutions to reaffirm their seriousness towards security by adapting secure systems to solidify their constituent's trust in them.
Passwords are a threat to security
Today, passwords are also a threat to our security. Traditional password authentication is susceptible to threats such as data breaches and phishing. According to a report conducted in 2020, 63% changed their passwords due to a security breach.
In addition to external risks, our heedless habits with managing and sharing passwords increase their risk of exposure.
- 75% of American between ages 18 and 24 used passwords that belonged to someone else to gain access to a service or device.
- 34% of consumers have shared their password with others.
- 59% re-use their passwords across sites.
Our habits with passwords coupled with the looming risk of attacks prove that passwords are no longer a safe way of authentication.
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Almabase moves to password-less authentication to provide alumni with a safe space online
At Almabase, we have taken proactive measures to secure the data of its customers and their constituents.
We have integrated with Auth0 to upgrade our login mechanism to become completely password-less. By replacing passwords with single-use codes, this mechanism immunes itself from threats.
This partnership with Auth0 moreover aims to improve the experience of members. Single-use codes will help even the most infrequent users log in without the need to remember their passwords. The platform now also supports SSO (Single-sign-on) via Facebook, Linkedin, and Google, in addition to allowing members to log in using any of the multiple emails listed on their records.
On top of improving the login experience and making it robust, the platform now also supports moderation of access to content and resources to segments of users based on criteria admins set.
With these upgrades, millions of alumni across hundreds of institutions will access their data securely online. We hope that institutions take data security seriously across all their systems, allowing for this relationship to build on greater trust.
Securing the data of constituents is a principal duty of institutions
The year 2020 served as a warning that anyone can be the victim of a data breach. More than 120 non-profit organisations learnt that their data was at risk after a breach in Blackbaud's platforms by a ransomware attack. Millions of donors, customers, and staffers were affected, and the incident became the most impacting data breach of 2020.
The ransomware fiasco necessitates reiterating the principal duty of educational institutions to secure the data of their trusting constituents.
Advancement leaders are custodians of data of thousands of alumni and donors, and securing their data must be their highest priority. A lapse in security can have a damaging effect on advancement, as years of relationship-building can be undone by one moment of vulnerability. It is, therefore, the responsibility of institutions to reaffirm their seriousness towards security by adapting secure systems to solidify their constituent's trust in them.
Passwords are a threat to security
Today, passwords are also a threat to our security. Traditional password authentication is susceptible to threats such as data breaches and phishing. According to a report conducted in 2020, 63% changed their passwords due to a security breach.
In addition to external risks, our heedless habits with managing and sharing passwords increase their risk of exposure.
- 75% of American between ages 18 and 24 used passwords that belonged to someone else to gain access to a service or device.
- 34% of consumers have shared their password with others.
- 59% re-use their passwords across sites.
Our habits with passwords coupled with the looming risk of attacks prove that passwords are no longer a safe way of authentication.
Almabase moves to password-less authentication to provide alumni with a safe space online
At Almabase, we have taken proactive measures to secure the data of its customers and their constituents.
We have integrated with Auth0 to upgrade our login mechanism to become completely password-less. By replacing passwords with single-use codes, this mechanism immunes itself from threats.
This partnership with Auth0 moreover aims to improve the experience of members. Single-use codes will help even the most infrequent users log in without the need to remember their passwords. The platform now also supports SSO (Single-sign-on) via Facebook, Linkedin, and Google, in addition to allowing members to log in using any of the multiple emails listed on their records.
On top of improving the login experience and making it robust, the platform now also supports moderation of access to content and resources to segments of users based on criteria admins set.
With these upgrades, millions of alumni across hundreds of institutions will access their data securely online. We hope that institutions take data security seriously across all their systems, allowing for this relationship to build on greater trust.
Blackbaud, the leading provider of software for powering social impact, and Almabase, the digital-first alumni engagement solution, have announced the expansion of their partnership to the education sectors of Canada and the United Kingdom. The partnership will provide institutions with a modern, digital-first solution to improve constituent data, drive self-serve engagement, and boost event participation.
A Unified Vision
The partnership aligns with Blackbaud’s commitment to customer-centric innovation across digital engagement, Advancement CRM, and financials.
“Partners bring integrated capabilities that extend capabilities and outcomes for Blackbaud customers. We are thrilled that Almabase’s offering, integrated with Blackbaud Raiser’s Edge NXT® and leveraging Blackbaud’s best-in-class payment solution, Blackbaud Merchant Services™, is now available to even more of our customers around the world.”
- Liz Price, Sr. Director of Global Partners at Blackbaud
