Cybersecurity for schools addresses K-12’s unique risks to help create a safe learning environment. From elementary to higher ed, schools must protect both students and their data.
That’s not as easy as it used to be. School districts are contending with unprecedented cyber threats more frequently.
Cybersecurity is part of the solution. While there is no one-size-fits-all approach, focusing on cybersecurity training, student privacy, and data protection is a strong place to start.
Key Points
- Why School Districts Need Cybersecurity
- Why Hackers Target K-12 Schools
- Common Security Threats
- Forms of Unsafe Cyber Activity
- Cybersecurity Challenges and Vulnerabilities
- How Cloud Monitor and Content Filter Improve Cybersecurity for Schools
Why School Districts Need Cybersecurity
According to SchoolSafety.gov, which is run by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, virtually every educational institution is at risk of cyber attack. This includes K-12 school districts.
Simply put, students are online more than ever before. Whether it be for homework, talking to classmates, or contacting teachers, American youth rely on technology in nearly every aspect of the learning experience. Unfortunately, cybercriminals have taken notice.
Per the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), the average school district experiences at least one cyber incident per school day. Worse yet, CISA reported in 2023 that K-12 cyber attacks tripled during the COVID-19 pandemic. In other words, the problem is only getting worse.
More recent data shows education as a top target. In the Microsoft Digital Defense Report 2024, education and research account for about 21% of nation-state targeting, second only to IT (24%), indicating the sector remains heavily targeted even under updated reporting methods.
That leads many to wonder, why?
Why Do Hackers Target K-12 Schools?
Threat actors and adversaries consider K-12 school districts relatively easy targets. Rather than attacking large organizations with enterprise-grade resources, they concentrate their efforts on “target rich, cyber poor” institutions.
What do we mean by “target rich?” In short, sensitive data is more valuable in the eyes of a hacker, who can flip it for a quick buck on the dark web. The U.S. Department of Education reports that a student record can go for between $250 to $350 online.
Consider the sheer volume of sensitive data schools hold and the critical nature of the information they manage every day. The different types of student data schools have access to include:
- Personal information: Social Security numbers, names, addresses, and telephone numbers
- Financial information: Payment card data, financial aid, and family income
- Medical information: Dietary restrictions, medical histories, diagnoses, etc
- Academic information: Disciplinary records, IEPs, grades, class rosters, and schedules
While some of this information may seem low risk, the consequences can be severe if more sensitive data is compromised. For example, a data breach involving Social Security numbers could lead to identity theft, financial fraud, and long-term damage to an individual’s credit.
Indeed, failure to protect student data privacy can have lasting consequences, per NPR. If a student’s disciplinary record that should have been expunged becomes publicly accessible, it could negatively impact future college applications, employment opportunities, and even legal proceedings.
Of course, a cyber incident can have devastating impacts on the school district, too. Globally, the average cost of a data breach is $4.45 million. Likewise, cyber attacks can shut down schools for weeks at a time.
5 Most Common Security Threats
It’s important that administrators and IT teams understand the most prevalent cyber threats schools are likely to encounter. These include:
- Malware infections: Malware means malicious software. Like a virus, it bypasses your defenses and infects your infrastructure to steal confidential data.
- Ransomware attacks: A ransomware attack is a type of malware that either steals sensitive data or blocks access to critical resources until you’ve paid a hefty ransom.
- Phishing attacks: A phishing attack uses social engineering tactics to trick users into sharing personal information and/or login credentials. Cybercriminals might also scam students or staff into clicking malicious links or downloading virus-ridden attachments.
- Account takeovers: When someone experiences a malware or phishing attack, the hacker may gain access to their school account. This allows them to exfiltrate student data and laterally target other users.
- Insider threats: Malicious insiders may purposefully leak sensitive information. More often, however, students and staff accidentally expose personal data, such as by sharing the wrong attachment in an email or setting a document share setting to “global view.”
Unique to K-12: How Cybersecurity Impacts Student Safety
Cyber safety and cybersecurity are two halves of the same coin. While the former focuses on protecting people from physical and emotional harm, the latter is more about information security.
Administrators traditionally consider them separate domains. In reality, IT and campus safety leaders need to break these silos and work together. Student safety risks are originating and/or manifesting online in many dangerous ways.
Bullying
Globally, 75% of kids are exposed to cyber safety risks each year, including cyberbullying and online harassment. This type of toxicity can have long-term impacts on adolescents, especially in terms of their mental health.
In fact, cyberbullying victims are more prone to anxiety and depression. They’re also more likely to harm themselves and experience suicidal ideation. Schools should be aware that students may be discussing their experiences with fellow students using apps like Google Docs or Google Chat. Likewise, bullies may even use cloud applications as harassment mechanisms, such as creating mean-spirited PowerPoint presentations about their victims.
Self-harm and Suicide
Self-harm and suicide are linked, but not exactly the same. Students who self-harm may not intend to end their life; however, they are more likely to attempt suicide.
It’s not uncommon for students to document their feelings online, whether intentionally or not. For example, they may write notes discussing suicidal themes or search the internet for ways to hurt themselves.
Inappropriate Content
Inappropriate content can include anything appealing to sex, violence, or illegal activities. Many districts may not realize underaged students use school-provided resources, such as laptops or tablets, to access explicit material. Notably, they may also use cloud applications like Google Drive to share sexually explicit images of themselves or other classmates. In other words, child pornography could be floating through your cloud domain. Worse yet, it could end up online if you experience a data breach.
School Violence
Violent behavior is more common than schools care to admit. Sometimes, violent incidents begin as verbal threats and may escalate to pushing, shoving, and fighting. Other times, they can spiral into much graver circumstances, such as a school shooting.
Cybersecurity Challenges and Vulnerabilities
Ensuring data security and student safety is easier said than done. School districts are facing several daunting challenges:
- Data overload: The sheer volume of users, data sources, devices, and applications in today’s school districts is simply too much to manage. Protecting such a vast array of data points is a monumental task, often stretching resources thin.
- IT sprawl: Bring-your-own-device (BYOD) and one-to-one policies have allowed exponentially more laptops, tablets, and mobile devices to access school networks, many of which lack adequate protection.
- Insufficient resources: Many school districts struggle to allocate personnel and budget to combat security threats.
- Lack of cloud security: Although 90% of schools use cloud services, just 20% dedicate any of their cybersecurity budgets to protecting cloud data. That means they lack visibility into their Google Workspace and Microsoft 365 domains and are therefore unable to detect threats and safety risks before they impact the district.
Cybersecurity may be an uphill battle, but it’s not one you can’t win. With the right tools at your side, you can effectively mitigate security threats and protect your students at scale.
Cloud Monitor and Content Filter Make Cybersecurity for Schools Easy
Information security is often more complicated than it needs to be. That’s why ManagedMethods makes it simple with two critical layers of protection.
Cloud Monitor is a data loss prevention tool that natively integrates into Google Workspace and Microsoft 365. With one dashboard to rule them all, you gain comprehensive control over your entire cloud domains.
Not only does it maximize your visibility into cloud-based cyber threats and safety risks, it automatically notifies you when policy violations occur. That way, whether students are sharing too much information or discussing self-harm, you’ll have the insight you need to leap into action.
You can also leverage Content Filter, a browser-based web filtering tool made for Google Chrome and Microsoft Edge. More than just a way to block malicious websites and inappropriate content, it’ll alert you when users are searching for terms you need to know about, such as suicide or school violence. This empowers you to raise cybersecurity awareness, protect your students, and intervene when needed.
Cybersecurity Audit for Schools
Both these solutions are highly customizable, scalable, user-friendly, and cost-effective. No matter your skill level or budget, we can adapt our tools to meet your district’s needs. Discover the power of ManagedMethods when you book a cybersecurity audit for schools. Our team will dig deeper into your Google Workspace and/or Microsoft 365 to see where you can improve, for free!
Frequently Asked Questions About Cybersecurity for Schools
Q: Why is cybersecurity important for schools?
Schools manage large amounts of sensitive data, including student records, financial information, and personal details. Strong cybersecurity helps protect this data, prevent breaches, and ensure a safe digital learning environment.
Q: What types of threats does ManagedMethods help schools detect?
ManagedMethods helps identify common threats like phishing, suspicious logins, risky file sharing, data leaks, and compromised accounts across cloud platforms like Google Workspace and Microsoft 365.
Q: How does ManagedMethods support K-12 IT teams?
ManagedMethods is designed for lean IT teams, offering real-time visibility, automated alerts, and easy-to-use dashboards that reduce manual monitoring and simplify incident response.
Q: Will Content Filter or Cloud Monitor disrupt teaching and learning?
No. Both Content Filter and Cloud Monitor work in the background to enhance security without interrupting classroom activities, allowing schools to maintain both safety and productivity.
Q: What can I expect from the free trial?
With a free trial, you can explore ManagedMethods’ capabilities firsthand, including real-time monitoring, alerting, and reporting, so you can see how it helps identify and address potential threats before they escalate.
