End-User Training & Security Awareness
The number one step an organization can take to reduce the risk of a cybersecurity breach is to implement regular end-user training and security awareness programs. Relying solely on technical controls to prevent incidents leaves an organization vulnerable to human errors and social engineering attacks.
Preparing for Disaster
Building a Learning Continuity Plan
Before a disaster strikes, it is incumbent upon school system IT personnel to have emergency operations plans in place to ensure continuity of learning. Check out the learning continuity plan guidance for achieving this objective.
Disaster Preparation: Building Your Disaster Recovery “GO KIT”
What School System Tech Leaders Need to Know
Natural or human created disasters, including natural disasters and cybersecurity attacks, can occur at any time. Having disaster recovery and learning continuity plans (CoSN’s Learning Continuity Planning) is helpful. Still, during a disaster scenario it can take time to pull together the basic resources you need to respond and deliver continuity of services. (Member Resource)
Identifying and Prioritizing Critical System Risks: The Business Impact Analysis
A Business Impact Analysis (BIA) is a structured process designed to identify and evaluate the potential effects of an interruption to critical school district operations due to a cyber attack, natural or physical disaster, accident, or emergency. It helps districts identify and plan for the consequences of disruption and gather information needed to develop recovery strategies. Conducting a BIA involves identifying key district systems and applications, the processes they support, and any dependencies that must be fulfilled for those resources to be available. Completing the BIA also involves assessing the impact of those systems & applications being unavailable or lost and determining recovery priorities and timeframes.
The resource includes the Importance of Identifying Critical Resources through BIA and a tool for Completing the Business Impact Analysis. (Member Resource)
COSN Partner Resources
- US Department of Education Office of Education Technology (NOTE These links should open in dffernet tabs, not take user away from COSN Web Site) The USDoE Office of Education Technology offers a full range of resources including the following focused on education and awareness:
- A Parent’s Guide for Understanding K-12 School Data Breaches: Resource for parents of K-12 students to help understand what it means when a school has a data breach, as well as provides tools and best practices to help navigate the sometimes-confusing process of protecting students’ data in the event of a breach.
- Cyber Safety Quick Links for Protecting Youth: Empowering Students to Become Responsible Digital Citizens and Engage Online Safely: Resource gives families, students, and school safety teams key practical steps and quick links to Websites offering free cyber safety resources, tools, and training.
- Dear School Safety Partner: Cybersecurity and Cyber Safety: Resource provides information on cybersecurity for schools as well as steps education agencies can take, with the collaboration of parents, to protect student privacy while increasing the use of digital learning and video sharing platforms in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
