How to mitigate cybersecurity threats in K-12 schools

The move to remote and hybrid learning, triggered by the COVID-19 pandemic, provided a large window of opportunity for cyber criminals. Many K-12 school districts, lacking the IT staff and protocols required to mitigate security threats, unknowingly gifted these criminals with new ways to infiltrate their networks. Unsecured home internet connections, improperly secured routers and other areas of exposure have enabled hackers to launch a myriad of cyberattacks including data breaches, phishing scams and ransomware attacks.

Most school districts have made a full-time return to the classroom this year — but the reduced need for distance learning does not mean their security risks have also been greatly reduced. Network security can be compromised as schools reconnect devices that have been used for remote learning and teaching — and hackers are only getting better at finding new ways to launch attacks. In fact, a recent report predicts that the number of cybersecurity incidents aimed at K-12 school systems may jump by as much as 86 percent this academic year.

Here are five things every school district can do to mitigate their security risks now:

• Scan devices — Before devices are reconnected to the district network, they should be scanned for any malware that needs to be removed. They should also be checked to make sure they have up-to-date malware protection.
• Carefully evaluate third-party applications — Security risks can be introduced by third-party learning applications and digital tools that may not have been subjected to proper security measures. Due diligence should be performed by taking the time to fully understand vendors’ security practices. Application security testing (AST) tools can also be used to identify application vulnerabilities.
• Educate students and staff — Human error is a major contributing cause in 95 percent of all security breaches. Teaching students and staff about cybersecurity best practices and how to recognize security threats can go a long way towards reducing this statistic.
• Use multi-factor authentication (MFA): To protect against the misuse of stolen credentials, use MFA, which requires users to provide at least two pieces of evidence to prove their identity when logging into an application or website.
• Protect your web applications: Safeguard against phishing and DDoS attacks with web application firewalls (WAFs), and consider segmenting web-based applications away from the rest of your network to minimize the impact of potential breaches.

To learn more about how to mitigate cybersecurity threats at your school district, read our white paper.