Cyber-threats are on the rise in our school districts, which often lack the resources to protect themselves, the training to use the resources they have effectively, and even the knowledge to identify which resources are needed.
We wrote about the cyber-threats facing schools in our last blog post. But these problems are epidemic to school districts across the country. As reported by technology and digital learning news source Edscoop.com, “A recent trend in cybercrime indicates that online attackers are increasingly targeting a demographic they know people will rush to protect: K-12 students.” The article details more than three dozen large-scale breaches of student data from cybercriminals from January through October 2017.
The risk of a cyberattack will only continue to grow, so establishing a holistic cyber-security strategy is critical. Any strategy should include the following elements. Many of these are highlighted in a recent document published by the Council of the Great City Schools, an organization comprised of 70 of the nation’s largest urban public school systems.
- Physical Security and End-Point Security
On-premises security isn’t only needed to protect students, but the network and computer devices housed inside the school. Using a school-owned computing device is often the easiest way to get access to confidential information. Data centers and control rooms need be locked and monitored. Classroom or office equipment may also be vulnerable to theft, so modern, video surveillance can be a powerful tool, as is locking away machines when not in use, and carefully tracking equipment and reporting lost devices promptly.
- Employee Training and Network Security
Your network is only as secure as the staff who uses it; an unsecured password can be all a cybercriminal needs to get into your network and see, abuse or share sensitive information. Employee training for proper security protocols is critical for network security, especially for staff who use personal devices in 1:1 environments.
Monitoring who has access to information is also a critical component of network security. As reported by the online security and risk management magazine CSO, “Given the high volume of users entering and exiting a school’s network, establishing the means to identify who can and can’t gain access and which resources they have access to is crucial. For effective cybersecurity, schools should use solutions that can easily identify users and then dynamically assign access to network segments accordingly.
- Application Security
Hackers can also gain access to your systems directly through your software applications. Downloading and installing regular updates and patches are critical, as we reported in a recent blog post detailing a Cisco networking hack that cut off Internet access and infected more than half a million devices. In that case, those who did not download security patches were left considerably more vulnerable. For that reason, your staff should only use software from trusted sources.
- Cloud/Data Center Security
With schools moving more and more towards cloud-based solutions, the security of their cloud-based data is a critical component to security. We have touched on the advantages of using cloud computing in a number of past blog posts, including “12 Reasons to Move Your Business to the Cloud”. Cloud computing makes accessing information easier but demands strict security processes and protections. Still, the benefits far exceed the risks (for many of those risks please see our post, “9 Facts to Know About the Risks of Moving to the Cloud and How To Manage Them”) as cloud computing provides significant back-up security should your data be destroyed or become inaccessible due to disasters both natural and hacker-made.
At DYOPATH, we are well versed at working closely with school districts to determine their vulnerabilities, providing solutions, and even training staff to ensure policies and protocols are understood and followed. We’re always eager to discuss our many products and services, including Security Solutions and all our Managed/Cloud Services. Let us help you chart a more secure and safer path for your organization.