How Schools Can Improve Their Cybersecurity

School districts can never seem to catch a break. Between worrying about student illness, behavioral issues, and staffing problems, districts have numerous problems to worry about currently. Lately, these districts have also been the targets of cybersecurity attacks by ransomware groups threatening to release private student information such as social security numbers, passports, and more. Oftentimes, districts become overwhelmed with these threats and result to paying a ransom to keep the information private. But, how can school districts improve their cybersecurity systems to limit the risks of ransomware attacks? 

Implement Two-Factor Authentication 

Two-factor authentication is a simple, but effective way to keep your network safe. A two-factor sign-in requires people who need to login to have a second device registered with the program. After someone attempts to login, a code is sent to the secondary device. This makes it more difficult for hackers to gain access to important accounts. Although a best approach would be to implement two-factor authentication for all accounts, it is absolutely necessary to use for all administrative accounts that have access to sensitive student information.  

Limit Access 

Limiting access is another great and proactive approach to cybersecurity. Not all accounts need to have access to the same amount or type of information. Sit down with your IT staff and determine which accounts need access to what parts of the system. From there, try and keep the access granted to a minimum. If there are fewer accounts that are able to access sensitive information, then the odds of those accounts becoming compromised is greatly reduced. This may even help to streamline operations within your district as your staff can more easily access the information they need when they need it. 

Research Technologies BEFORE Implementation 

After you have decided what types of technology you want to implement in your district, be sure to conduct thorough research before going through with them. See if there have been any security issues with the companies previously and if so, what steps they have taken to prevent them from occurring again. Remember, only allow trustworthy people and companies access to your data.  

Stay up-to-date on Federal and State Guidelines 

Be sure to stay informed about different federal and state guidelines involving cybersecurity and student information. Some states may require different levels of security for sensitive student information so be sure to research the specifics for your state. 

Communicate in a Timely Fashion 

In the event that a breach should happen, you need to be able to communicate with your staff in a timely manner. With Kokomo NOTIFY™ you can send messages to the people you need when you need them. You can even assign tasks to certain people to ensure that actions are being taken to address the problem at hand. With Kokomo NOTIFY™, you can be confident that your staff will be informed of all important updates and able to respond to scenarios as quickly as possible.  

Ever since Kokomo24/7® was founded in 2018, we have been a leader in compliance and risk management solutions for all things health and safety. Kokomo proudly serves workplaces, communities, and schools with continuity software solutions including surveys, case management, accreditation and vaccine tracking, guest management, notifications, occupancy management, anonymous reporting, and emergency operations. Our mission is to deliver highly effective, easy-to-use, and trusted compliance and risk management solutions that bridge the gap between public safety and technology. 

Sources: 

https://www.k12dive.com/news/question-of-the-month-cybersecurity-ransomware-cio-advice/636076/?utm_source=Sailthru&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Issue:%202022-11-10%20K-12%20Dive%20%5Bissue:45919%5D&utm_term=K-12%20Dive 

https://www.k12dive.com/news/why-student-data-remains-at-risk-and-what-educators-are-doing-to-protect-it/611462/ 

https://www.k12dive.com/news/4-steps-districts-can-take-to-shore-up-cybersecurity/634131/?utm_source=Sailthru&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Issue:%202022-10-14%20K-12%20Dive%20%5Bissue:45280%5D&utm_term=K-12%20Dive