Schools and other educational establishments hold crucial information about pupils that attend. This includes medical records such as medical conditions and doctors’ names, home addresses, identification of pupils (such as pictures/passport information), National Insurance numbers and student email addresses. Private schools are at even bigger risk, as parents credit card/tax details are logged onto each pupils account within the system.
If hackers are able to obtain this information, they are able to sell it on the dark web for potentially hundreds of pounds.
Even though cyber attacks are on the rise, there are steps you can follow to prevent future attacks from happening.
Staff training is key to educate about cybersecurity and computer health. With systems constantly updating leaving many people out of touch with latest technology, it's key to ensure all staff understand how to monitor systems, and therefore reduce risk of future attacks. Make sure everybody who has accounts on the system, whether that be staff member or pupils, change their password every 6 months.
Encryption conceals data, which ultimately means that it can't be easily read because its been turned into code. Encrypting all of your data, even the data you don't deem to be essential, will make the hackers life even harder.
Have monthly meetings with both staff, and pupils to educate them about online safety. As culture changes, and we rely more on computers, then its key to educate all ages about the do’s and dont’s and how to prevent attacks from taking place.
If you suspect you may have been breached, it's key that you and your team act fast to minimise the effect of the attack.
FGX-Web by Foregenix secures your website from attacks, so you don't have to worry. FGX-Web detects immediate threats, protects your website and speeds loading times. Even better, we can monitor your data for you, to allow you to continue to grow and expand your business safely and securely.