November 20, 2023 at 06:03AM
Thousands of K-12 public schools in the United States are vulnerable to ransomware attacks due to lax cybersecurity measures. In response, the Biden administration has been offering free cybersecurity services to school districts and urging more to take advantage of these programs. Ransomware attackers, often based in Russia, target schools to lock up computer systems and expose sensitive information. Federal support and baseline cybersecurity controls are needed to address the growing threat.
The meeting notes highlight the urgent need for K-12 public schools to improve their cybersecurity defenses against online attacks, specifically ransomware. The Biden administration has made efforts to support schools by providing free cybersecurity services and hosting exercises to enhance network security. However, it is emphasized that more school districts need to take advantage of available programs to protect against online attackers who target schools with the intention of locking up computer systems and potentially exposing sensitive personal information. The notes also mention recent incidents where schools have faced ransomware attacks, leading to temporary closures and the exposure of private information. The Project Cybersafe Schools program by Cloudflare is highlighted as a valuable initiative that provides free email security and other online threat protection to eligible small public school districts across the United States. Additionally, there is mention of a grant program from Amazon Web Services and a proposed pilot program by the Federal Communications Commission, both aimed at strengthening cybersecurity in schools. Despite these efforts, it is suggested that more federal support and requirements for baseline cybersecurity controls are necessary to address the growing frequency and severity of attacks against schools.