Cybersecurity in Education and How to Protect Your Data

As technology becomes more integrated into our daily lives, the importance of cyber security cannot be overstated. This is especially true in the education industry, where sensitive information about students, teachers, and school operations is often stored and shared digitally.

With the increasing popularity of online learning and the amount of sensitive information shared electronically, the need for robust cybersecurity measures has never been greater. It is crucial for educational institutions to understand the potential risks and take proactive steps to protect against cyber threats. Key findings from various studies and reports demonstrate that the education industry is facing a wide range of cyber threats including phishing, malware attacks, and data breaches.

A report by the K-12 Cybersecurity Resource Center found that phishing and social engineering were the most common types of cyber attacks against schools, followed by malware and unauthorized access. A survey of K-12 school leaders conducted by the Education Week Research Center found that 45% of respondents reported a data breach at their school or district in the previous year. According to a report in 2021 by Sophos, the typical educational institution pays an average $112,435 ransom payment to get data back and networks running again. In the same study, Sophos reports that US$2.73 million is, on average, the true cost associated with rectifying ransomware attacks considering downtime, people time, device cost, network cost, lost opportunity , ransom paid, and more - the highest across all sectors surveyed.

The data shows that schools and educational institutions are facing a significant threat from cybercrime, with thousands of students affected by data breaches and millions of dollars lost to cyber attacks. Understanding the risks and the cost can help schools and educational institutions prioritize the resources they need to protect themselves and their students from cybercrime.

The education industry faces unique challenges when it comes to implementing cybersecurity controls. Schools often have a large number of devices and networks to manage, including computers, laptops, tablets, and smartphones, as well as servers, storage devices, and network infrastructure. This can make it difficult to ensure that all devices are properly configured and secured, and that all software and systems are kept up to date. Another challenge is the diverse user base that educational institutions often have. This includes students, teachers, staff, and administrators, which can make it difficult to ensure that everyone is aware of the risks and knows how to use technology safely and securely. A survey of K-12 school leaders conducted by the Education Week Research Center found that only 10% of education professionals know a lot about cybersecurity and only 66% of that small group of students know a significant amount about cyber security.

With the emergence of COVID-19 pandemic and remote learning becoming a norm, the educational institutions are facing new cybersecurity challenges, such as ensuring secure access to online platforms and ensuring the security of students' personal devices being used for remote learning. These challenges can make it difficult for educational institutions to protect their networks, devices, and data from cyber threats.

Many schools across the nation outsource their transportation to third-party companies, such as school bus providers. As a result, these transportation companies also share the responsibility of protecting students' data by storing student information online. This data includes sensitive information like addresses and personal information of students that are compiled into routes. The transportation companies have to ensure that this information is communicated to drivers, parents, and school districts securely to avoid data breaches and maintain the privacy of students.

Cyber security is a critical issue that affects all of us, and it is especially important in the education industry. By following these simple tips, education professionals, students and parents can help protect themselves and their sensitive information from cyber threats.

1. Implement robust security measures to protect against unauthorized access to sensitive student data, such as multi-factor authentication and access controls.
2. Regularly update and patch all software and systems used to store and manage student data, to reduce vulnerabilities that could be exploited by cyber criminals.
3. Conduct regular security audits and assessments to identify and address potential vulnerabilities in your systems and processes.
4. Train employees on how to identify and respond to potential cyber threats, and have a plan in place for responding to a security incident.
5. Regularly backup important student data and store it in a secure location.
6. Use encryption for the data stored and transmitted, to help protect sensitive information from being intercepted by unauthorized parties.
7. Have an incident response plan in place, so that in case of any security breach, you have a plan of action to minimize the damage and have a standard response.
8. Maintain a strict security policy, and ensure that all third-party vendors you work with also have adequate security measures in place.
9. Monitor your network and systems for suspicious activity, and have an incident response team ready.
10. Be compliant with all relevant laws, regulations, and standards, such as HIPAA and FERPA, that govern the handling of student data.