How can business administrators keep school’s data safe?

Given the heavy volume of responsibilities that many school systems already have, cybersecurity is a challenge that schools should not face independently.

Business administrators in schools act as a cyber army, being accountable for keeping student’s data safe. Australia is rated the fourth most cyber targeted country in the world, where attacks seep into all sectors, especially in schools.*  Given the heavy volume of responsibilities that many school systems already have, cybersecurity is a challenge that schools should not face independently. Dell Technologies have partnered with Invotec, supplying their comprehensive endpoint security, to further support schools in keeping their assets and students safe. 

Australian schools are no stranger to cyberattacks however, the number of threats has fundamentally escalated since the beginning of COVID-19. The pandemic introduced remote learning within many schools, where networks faced greater danger, being harder to manage when isolated. To put this into perspective, Check Point Research (CPR) recorded the education sector to have the highest volume of cyberattacks for this July, with an average of 3,934 attacks documented per organisation, impacting schools each week. This marks a 17% increase from the first half of 2021.**

Cybercriminals are creative in the way they target schools, where their patterns are very kaleidoscopic, being hard to track and manage. The most popular method of attack reported is phishing via email to both staff and students. Phishing is a type of a scam where hackers contact their prey mostly via email, disguising as a reputable website. If successful, the victim will hand over sensitive information that could lead to serious repercussions.  

But why are cybercriminals attacking schools? 

Academic institutions often hold valuable intellectual property, as well as playing a pivotal role in policy development. The attack surface of many schools is broad and complex due to the nature of its users and operations. This creates many potential weaknesses that motivated threat actors can exploit. Cybercriminals are aware of the extent schools will travel to relieve cyberattacks as they have the responsibility of children’s data.  

At Invotec, the safety of children in schools is our main focus. We have been providing IT support for almost 20 years, evolving to be a proficient and reliable outsourced IT department for many local businesses and schools in Victoria. Dell Technologies endpoint security prevents, detects, and responds to cyber threats and attacks with AI, machine learning and easy-to-implements behavioural detection. 

How secure is your school’s network? At Invotec, we leverage the latest technology and services to audit, recommend or implement an ASD Essential 8 compliance strategy to enhance your security posture. Click here to get a free audit today.