The Increase of Ransomware Attacks in Schools

February 24, 2023

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MSPs are increasingly needed in the education sector because of the spike of ransomware attacks this year. The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) have encouraged schools to put a cybersecurity plan in place (or a stronger one) to ensure cyber safety. The education sector is one of the most important areas to have MSPs due to the large amount of PII available. Schools are one of the most vulnerable targets to hackers, yet many schools lack having an MSP in place at all.

Just recently, public schools in Iowa experienced a ransomware attack. PII was compromised and they were forced to close schools for a couple of days. The vulnerability of the Iowa public school system made it a not so challenging task for hackers to successfully attack. Numerous other schools have fallen victim to cyberattacks already in 2023. This leads to school shutdowns, hiring expensive IT specialists to clean up the damage, and angry families who were impacted.

The CISA recommended three things:

  • Invest in impactful security measures to build a strong cybersecurity plan.
  • Know how to recognize and promptly address resource constraints.
  • Focus on collaboration and information- sharing.

How can MSPs help lessen ransomware attacks? They can…

  • Reduce infection.
  • Block lateral network movement.
  • Block exfiltration of stolen data.
  • Alter suspicious network activity.

The education sector must have mature cybersecurity plans. This industry has some of the most personal information that needs to be protected for students and faculty.  Without cybersecurity, schools can risk a ransomware attack towards a large group of people. This will let hackers have access to names, emails, addresses, social security numbers, and other areas of PII. Follow the recommendations of the CISA to reduce the risk of ransomware effecting your school.

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CTN Solutions

Address: 610 Sentry Pkwy, Blue Bell, PA 19422

Phone: (610) 828-5500

 

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