June 28, 2023
After a spate of ransomware attacks that has affected at least 120 schools in 2023 alone, school IT executives are rethinking their cybersecurity policies.
Some districts are working together to exchange best practices, while others have outsourced their security operations to third-party firms. Others have as much as 23 employees dedicated to preventing attacks, and even outsourced their security operations center to a cybersecurity company that provides round-the-clock monitoring.
The districts are also training employees on the best security practices, conducting thorough reviews of application usage, and implementing additional security measures like multifactor authentication for account access. For instance, the Cedarburg School District in Wisconsin is using the summer break to improve their internet infrastructure by installing a new firewall and making other IT enhancements.
The significance of proactive steps to safeguard schools from developing cyber dangers is emphasized by Anne Neuberger, the deputy national security adviser for cyber and emerging technology. Neuberger adds that the Biden administration is considering new cybersecurity restrictions for education.
The sources for this piece include an article in Axios.
