Rubrik joins Internet2 in push for cyber resilience

Rubrik has joined Internet2, expanding its work with a community of more than 500 research and education organisations.

The membership brings the cyber security and data protection company closer to universities, colleges and research institutions that use Internet2's network, cloud and security services. The arrangement is intended to support data backup and cyber recovery for systems used by students, staff, faculty and administrators.

The announcement comes as cyber attacks continue to strain the U.S. education sector. According to figures cited by the organisations, 82% of U.S. educational institutions have reported the impact of cyber threats, highlighting the pressure on campuses that rely heavily on digital systems for teaching, research and administration.

Higher education groups are also grappling with the security implications of broader artificial intelligence use. That adds another layer of governance and operational scrutiny for institutions already facing ransomware and identity-based attacks.

Sector pressure

Internet2 is a member-based technology community founded by higher education institutions. It serves 342 U.S. universities, 59 government agencies, 46 regional and state education networks and 61 corporations. Through those networks, it supports more than 80,000 community anchor institutions. The organisation also works with 70 national research and education network operators representing more than 100 countries.

For Rubrik, joining the group provides a place within a network where institutions share research and operational knowledge on security, cloud services and recovery practices. The membership also offers access to a technology ecosystem focused on integration, privacy and compliance requirements in higher education.

One area of alignment is the Internet2 Cloud Scorecard, a framework the community uses to assess whether technology providers meet standards that matter to research and education organisations. Rubrik said its participation reflects an effort to meet those expectations.

The collaboration focuses on backup and faster recovery for critical services. In a cyber incident, those functions can determine how quickly a university restores teaching platforms, research systems, student records and internal administrative tools.

AI and recovery

The deal also reflects a broader shift as institutions examine how to secure AI-related operations without weakening data governance. As more campuses test and deploy AI tools, questions around data access, oversight and recovery procedures are moving closer to the centre of IT planning.

Lou Karu, Area Vice President of State, Local & Education at Rubrik, said the partnership is tied to that shift.

"Advancing the technical capabilities of the global research and education ecosystem requires deep collaboration and understanding how to navigate cyber security in the age of AI," Karu said.

"With Internet2, we are helping to drive awareness of modern cyber resilience in the age of agentic AI among the world's leading educational institutions."

Sean O'Brien, Associate Vice President for NET+ Cloud Services at Internet2, said resilience depends on collaboration across the sector.

"Building institutional resilience for research and higher education requires a robust community of shared expertise," O'Brien said.

"Rubrik joining Internet2 as a member advances important conversations around data security, cyber resilience and recovery."

Rubrik is listed on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker RBRK. Internet2 describes itself as a non-profit, member-driven advanced technology community built around higher education and research. It operates what it calls the largest and fastest research and education network in the United States.

The organisation's trust and identity framework is also central to how institutions access and secure shared services across that network, an area that has become more prominent as identity-based attacks have grown across the education sector.

Internet2 serves 342 U.S. universities, 59 government agencies, 46 regional and state education networks, more than 1,000 InCommon participants and 70 national research and education network operators representing more than 100 countries.