Technology has become part of just about every corner of a school.
Teachers depend on laptops and online learning platforms. Students are signing into Chromebooks, tablets and other devices throughout the day. Administrative staff are working with enrollment information, payroll, financial records and parent communications.
Most of the time, nobody thinks much about everything happening behind the scenes. They just expect it to work.
But all of those devices, accounts and applications also give schools a lot more to protect.
At CMIT Solutions, we understand that cybersecurity can be particularly challenging for educational organizations. Schools need reliable technology, but they also have to manage large numbers of users and devices while protecting information belonging to students, employees and families.
Why Would Someone Target a School?
It’s easy to assume cyber criminals are mostly interested in banks, large corporations and government agencies.
Schools have something valuable too: data.
Student records, employee information, payroll details, financial documents, email accounts and login credentials may all be stored or accessed through a school’s technology systems.
Then there’s the sheer number of people using those systems.
A teacher may be checking email on a laptop while students are logging into an online learning platform. Someone in the administrative office is working with payroll. A new employee needs an account created. A former employee’s account needs to be shut down. Meanwhile, hundreds of student devices could be connected to the network.
That’s a lot for an IT department to keep track of.
And sometimes the problem isn’t a dramatic attack that immediately sets off alarms.
It might start with an email that looks legitimate.
Someone clicks a link they shouldn’t. An old account is still active. A computer hasn’t received an important update. A password is being reused. A third-party application has access that nobody has thought about in a while.
These are everyday situations, which is part of what makes them easy to overlook.
Cybersecurity Has to Work Around the School Day
School IT teams already have plenty on their plates.
There are forgotten passwords, damaged devices, Wi-Fi problems, software updates, new accounts, classroom technology issues and the inevitable computer that decides to stop cooperating five minutes before it’s needed.
Security is another responsibility added to that list.
That’s why having the right protections in place matters. Depending on the school’s needs, that can include things such as email security, endpoint protection, system updates and patching, backups, security monitoring and employee cybersecurity awareness.
It isn’t about buying every security product available.
It’s about figuring out where the real risks are and addressing them before they become bigger problems.
Consider what would happen if employees came into school tomorrow and couldn’t access email or important files.
What if teachers couldn’t get into a learning platform? What if administrative systems were unavailable? How long would it take to get everything working again?
At that point, cybersecurity isn’t just an IT concern. It’s affecting teachers, students, administrators and potentially parents as well.
Backups and recovery planning are an important part of preparing for that possibility. Schools should know what’s being backed up and have a realistic idea of how they would recover important systems if something went wrong.
Do You Know Where Your Weak Spots Are?
That’s sometimes a harder question to answer than it sounds.
A school may already have antivirus software, a firewall and backups in place. That doesn’t necessarily mean there aren’t other areas worth looking at.
When was the last time old user accounts were reviewed? Are important systems receiving updates? How are passwords handled? What happens when an employee leaves? Who has administrative access? Are staff members prepared to recognize a convincing phishing email?
There may be things you’re already doing well and a few things that have simply been overlooked.
A Custom Cybersecurity Score from CMIT Solutions can help provide a clearer picture of where your organization currently stands and identify potential security gaps that deserve a closer look.
CMIT Solutions offers cybersecurity and managed IT services that can help organizations take a more proactive approach to protecting their technology, data and day-to-day operations.
Every school is different, so the answer isn’t going to be exactly the same for everyone.
A small private school may have very different technology needs and resources than a large K-12 district. Colleges and universities bring another level of complexity.
Budget matters too.
The goal should be to understand what you have, where the biggest risks are and what makes sense to address first.
Find Out Where Your School Stands
You don’t need to wait until someone clicks the wrong email or an important system stops working to take a closer look at your cybersecurity.
If you’re responsible for technology at a school, K-12 district, college or another educational organization, the CMIT Solutions Custom Cybersecurity Score is a good place to start.
It can help you get a better understanding of your current cybersecurity readiness and uncover areas you may want to address.
Get your Custom Cybersecurity Score:
https://hubs.li/Q04pGtVz0
You may find that you’re in pretty good shape. Or you may find a few things that need attention.
Either way, it’s better to know now than after there’s a problem.
Whether you’re looking to strengthen cybersecurity, improve day-to-day IT support or get a better handle on the technology your organization depends on, CMIT Solutions can help you determine the right next steps.
Learn more about CMIT Solutions:
https://cmitsolutions.com/
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