Dive Brief:
- Ransomware attacks — where hackers hold a network hostage for money — have seen a steep jump in the past two years, and schools are an increasingly popular target.
- Districts across the country are stepping up protection efforts by educating staff on issues ranging from how to deal with phishing scams to hiring IT security consultants.
- Oxford School District in Mississippi, which was recently the subject of a ransomware attack, has now put in place a comprehensive cybersecurity response plan, according to District Administration.
Dive Insight:
Since school networks frequently feature hundreds of computers with various operating systems and in various stages of patching, they have become popular targets for ransomware attacks. While some schools find it easier to pay the ransom, others such as Oxford, opt to wipe and reboot servers — saving money but causing headaches for schools.
But it's not just outside hacking groups causing problems for schools. Students themselves can initiate attacks aimed at bringing down network access and disrupting the school day, frequently by employing so-called DDoS attacks.
Districts are now broadening the tools in their arsenal, employing tactics and technologies that help keep corporate servers safe, such as Border Gateway Protocol, which can help reroute traffic in case of a DDos attack. In all cases, a comprehensive plan for dealing with potential attacks is a must for districts, and should take care to involve all departments from IT to instruction.