When you read news stories and articles about the devastation caused by hackers and online scam artists, you very rarely consider schools to be an immediate target.
After all, with monetary gain often the motivation behind such attacks, many decision makers at schools think they don’t have to worry about their school being top of the target list?
Here at Cleverbox, we often talk about the importance of online security, but it seems that with a series of attacks now becoming apparent, now more than ever schools need to be more vigilant in the face of malware and ransom attacks. All it takes is one malware bug to be integrated into the school’s system, and suddenly hackers have access to all kinds of data and pupil records, from exam results to coursework, financial records and more. And, as a set of schools in Cambridge found out earlier this year, that information can only be retrieved with a hefty ransom fee.
In this article, we look at what ransomware and malware actually is, and what you can do to keep hackers out.
What is Malware?
Malware is a kind of software which is designed to disrupt, destroy, or unlawfully access certain bits of data within a system. Ransomware is a kind of malware which shuts the user out of their own system and encrypts or even deletes its contents – something which can be undone by the attackers, usually in exchange for the demand of a ransom fee.
What Kind of Threat Does Malware Present To a School?
In a school setting, security against malware is a concept covered by your internal or external IT team, specifically those responsible for IT and Data Protection. If an external attacker is able to access your school system and networks, the breadth of data your school holds is in their hands. That means all the information about your pupils could be lost in an instant.
The loss of such information can bring high profile attention to a school, which could also damage its reputation. In some cases, attackers have even threatened to release sensitive records to the public, adding a greater threat to those involved.
Cleverbox’s Anti-Malware Tips
The likelihood is that schools are becoming victim to malware attacks now, simply because they present a relatively easy target – especially when compared with larger corporations who have upped their security in light of the move to remote working.
Attackers can exploit everything, from weak passwords to vulnerabilities in the remote network system, meaning that leaks and gaps can be found anywhere. Here’s what you need to protect your school in the face of the increased risk of malware.
Back up all your data and information. We recommend holding offline back ups which will enable you to get back up and running if an attack does take place, allowing for an effective recovery.
- Install, enable, and upgrade antivirus software across your entire school system.
- Block websites that are known to be aggressive. This is particularly important within a school network, where hundreds of individuals are accessing the internet every day. A good way of implementing this is with security gateways on the internet.
- Implement mail filtering to push all malicious emails into junk folders.
- Create access policies with sign-on requirements, especially when a network is being accessed remotely. Another step to add to this is access management, controlling which users can access which information. This will enable you to isolate breaches more quickly.
- Engagement and training – this is an important one. The more staff members that know about keeping your school system safe, the better.
- In your supply chain, understand the risks that come with outsourced work.
Read more about the in-depth anti-malware tips recommended by the NCSC.
Our team at Cleverbox are able to provide guidance, support, and a full scale protection plan for your network, which will keep malware out and keep your school system safe. Get in touch with our team today to discuss the right security plan for you.