Network Penetration Testing for Colleges and Universities in Detroit (MI)

 

Colleges and universities in Detroit and across Michigan hold exactly what cybercriminals want most: large volumes of student records, research data, payment information, and intellectual property. Common attacks against higher education include phishing emails targeting students and faculty, ransomware on campus networks, stolen passwords, malware infections, and database attacks such as SQL injection. Each of these is designed to gain unauthorized access to sensitive information or disrupt campus operations.

The financial impact is significant. In 2021, the average reported cost of a data breach reached $4.24M (source). That figure does not include unreported incidents, reputational damage, or lost enrollment due to loss of trust. For Detroit-area institutions, this risk is amplified by complex IT environments: open Wi‑Fi, shared labs, cloud platforms, remote learning systems, and legacy systems that never quite retired when they should have.

To manage this risk, regular, independent cybersecurity testing is no longer optional. It is a basic requirement for protecting students, faculty, research partners, and the institution itself.

 

What Is Network Penetration Testing for Higher Education?

 

Network penetration testing (often called a pentest) is a controlled, ethical hacking exercise where security professionals simulate real-world cyberattacks against your college or university network. The goal is simple: find the weaknesses before someone malicious does.

During a network penetration test, an experienced team attempts to:

• Identify vulnerabilities in internal and external networks, data centers, and cloud platforms
• Test access controls around student information systems, learning management systems, HR/payroll, and research environments
• Evaluate security controls such as firewalls, VPNs, multi-factor authentication, and segmentation between administrative, student, and guest networks
• Assess real-world impact of a successful attack on operations, data confidentiality, and regulatory obligations

For colleges and universities in Detroit, this type of IT security assessment supports:

• Compliance with FERPA, GLBA, research sponsor requirements, and internal governance policies
• Risk management for boards, presidents, CIOs, CISOs, and campus leadership
• Incident readiness for local IT, security, and campus police working together as an effective Blue Team

The result is a clear, practical view of where your defenses stand today—and exactly what must change to reduce the risk of a serious breach.

 

Detroit & Michigan Higher Education Penetration Testing Experience

 

OCD Tech provides network penetration testing services to colleges, universities, and educational institutions in Detroit and throughout Michigan. Our team combines deep technical expertise with practical understanding of campus environments, including:

• Distributed main and satellite campuses
• Student housing networks and resident Wi‑Fi
• Open research networks and specialized lab systems
• Hybrid infrastructures spanning on‑premise data centers and cloud services

We routinely deliver IT security assessments, red team exercises, and configuration reviews for institutions that must balance academic openness with strong security controls. Each engagement is tailored to your environment, risk profile, and regulatory drivers.

Our deliverables go beyond a simple vulnerability list. You receive a clear, prioritized remediation plan, written so both technical teams and non-technical leadership can understand the risk, the impact, and the required actions.

 

Our Network Penetration Testing Methodology

 

OCD Tech applies a structured, repeatable penetration testing methodology designed to mirror realistic attack paths against higher education networks while maintaining strict safety and confidentiality. Core phases include:

• Passive Reconnaissance – Quietly collecting information about your institution from public sources, open services, and exposed assets without active interaction.
• Active Reconnaissance – Safely scanning and probing network segments, servers, applications, and cloud resources to identify potential entry points.
• Social Engineering (where in scope) – Testing user awareness through controlled phishing or pretext scenarios, reflecting real attacks commonly used against students, faculty, and staff.
• Exploitation – Attempting to exploit identified vulnerabilities to gain initial access, while carefully managing risk to production systems.
• Post-Exploitation – Determining what an attacker could realistically do: access student records, research data, payment information, or internal systems.
• Privilege Escalation – Attempting to move from a normal user to administrator or domain-level access, mimicking an assumed compromise scenario.
• Lateral Movement – Testing how easily an attacker could move between departmental networks (e.g., from student labs to administrative systems).
• Maintaining Access – Demonstrating how long-term unauthorized access could be maintained if not detected by your monitoring and Blue Team capabilities.
• Covering Tracks – Showing what traces a real attacker might remove, helping improve log management and incident detection.
• Reporting & Executive Briefing – Delivering a comprehensive report and walkthrough: technical details for IT/security teams, and clear risk summaries and next steps for leadership.

This methodology supports not only traditional penetration testing but also more advanced red team and purple team exercises, where your defensive teams actively learn and improve during the engagement.

 

National Reach with Local Focus

 

Although we maintain a strong presence in Detroit and across Michigan, OCD Tech also provides network penetration testing services to institutions and organizations across the United States, including:

• Boston (MA)
• New York City (NY)
• Washington DC
• Philadelphia (PA)
• Dallas (TX)
• Los Angeles (CA)
• Chicago (IL)
• Baltimore (MD)

Whether your institution is based in downtown Detroit, Ann Arbor, East Lansing, or another Michigan campus, you get the benefit of a nationally experienced penetration testing team with local understanding of regional threats and regulatory expectations.

 

Contact Our Detroit Network Penetration Testing Team

 

OCD Tech provides network penetration testing and cybersecurity consulting specifically tailored for colleges and universities in Detroit and throughout Michigan.

If you want to understand how an attacker would actually move through your environment—and how to stop them—complete the form below. A member of our team will follow up to discuss your environment, your objectives, and the most effective way to conduct a penetration test that aligns with your risk and compliance requirements.