More Cybercrime Among K-12 Districts Requires A Comprehensive Approach To Security
Fortinet News, December 27th, 2022
Many K-12 school districts are racing to the head of the class when embracing digital transformation. From implementing eLearning to eSports and harnessing the cloud, districts increasingly prioritize ways to enhance student learning opportunities across distributed campuses.
However, while this new level of connectivity benefits students, teachers, and staff, security implications need to be considered regarding personally identifiable information (PII), financial data, and other sensitive information shared digitally across the school's network.
The reality is that cybersecurity in K-12 districts is often under-resourced, making schools prime targets for cybercriminals. School IT teams, many of which are understaffed, are constantly juggling multiple demands-from managing a myriad of devices to ensuring the campus is equipped with physical monitoring systems to keep students safe. This growing list of responsibilities makes it difficult for many IT staff to dedicate time to enhance cybersecurity measures. Additionally, according to the MS-ISAC K-12 Report: A Cybersecurity Assessment of the 2021-2022 School Year, the average school district spends 8% or less of its annual IT budget on security, with 18% of districts spending less than 1%.