CISA report offers school cybersecurity threat protections

Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) officials said a recently released report and toolkit seeks to aid K-12 schools in protecting against cybersecurity threats.

CISA noted Partnering to Safeguard K-12 Organizations from Cybersecurity Threats provides insight into the current threat landscape specific to the K-12 community while offering steps school personnel can take to strengthen cybersecurity initiatives.

“We must ensure that our K-12 schools are better prepared to confront a complex threat environment,” CISA Director Jen Easterly said. “As K-12 institutions employ technology to make education more accessible and effective, malicious cyber actors are hard at work trying to exploit vulnerabilities in these systems, threatening our nation’s ability to educate our children.”

Easterly said the report represents an initial step towards a stronger and more secure cyber future for the nation’s schools, focusing on prioritized actions.

The report contains three CISA recommendations to assist K-12 leaders in building, operating, and maintaining resilient cybersecurity programs, per authorities: Investing in the most impactful security measures and building toward a mature cybersecurity plan; recognizing and actively addressing resource constraints; and focusing on collaboration and information-sharing.

In addition to the report, CISA has provided an online toolkit aligning resources and materials to each of the recommendations, as well as guidance on how stakeholders can implement each recommendation based on present needs.