Information Technology

Information, news and features for the education sector IT professionals


How To Evaluate & Nurture Your District's Cybersecurity Readiness

Schools can counter the growing wave of ransomware attacks with the proper tools and resources even in difficult cases where there is little to no involvement from all stakeholders — or if there’s no room in the IT budget for enhanced cybersecurity efforts — by strategically implementing these cyber benchmarks.

Illuminate Data Breach Spreads to Fifth State as Oklahoma City Notifies Parents

Oklahoma City Public Schools has added its 34,000 students to the growing list of those impacted by the Illuminate Education data breach that occurred during a January cyberattack — the first in Oklahoma known to have been among the K–12 schools and districts whose private student data was compromised within Illuminate’s systems.

Illuminate Data Breach Impact in CO Grows to 8 Districts Plus 1 CA District and 3 in CT

The impact of the Illuminate Education data breach that occurred in January continues growing across the country as now eight K–12 school districts in Colorado, three in Connecticut, and one in California have notified parents that their students, too, had their private information stolen.

565 Schools, Over 1M Students in NY Impacted by Illuminate Data Breach, NYSED Says; 2nd Colorado District Notifies Parents

The New York State Education Department says 565 schools in the state — including over 1 million current and former students — were among those whose private student data was compromised during a January cyberattack on Illuminate Education’s systems, and officials have opened an investigation, NYSED told THE Journal.

Online Safety Provider Family Zone Announces Agreement to Acquire Qustodio

Australia-based online monitoring and safety provider Family Zone today announced it will acquire competitor Qustodio and its subsidiaries in a deal valued at $52 million, according to a news release.

Illuminate Education Data Breach Impacted At Least 24 Districts, 18 Charter Schools in NY; Investigation Launched

At least 24 school districts and 18 charter schools in New York — totaling “at least” a million students in the state of New York alone — were impacted by the breach of private student data that occurred during a January cyberattack on Illuminate Education’s systems, and the New York State Education Department has launched an investigation into the data breach, a NYSED official told THE Journal.

Ransomware Hit 56% of K-12 Organizations Worldwide in 2021, Sophos Survey Finds

Cybersecurity firm Sophos today released its annual State of Ransomware report showing ransomware attacks nearly doubled in 2021 from the year before, and 56% of K–12 IT professionals responding, representing 320 districts, said they were a victim of ransomware last year.

InnovateEDU Launches Open-Source Blueprint for Inclusive Research and Development in Education [BIRD-E]

Education nonprofit InnovateEDU today launched the Blueprint for Inclusive Research and Development in Education, dubbed BIRD-E, an open source, universal framework designed to generate actionable, high-quality research that ed tech providers, policymakers, researchers, education leaders, and other K-12 stakeholders can easily access, understand, and apply in the classroom.

Another School District Says Student Data Breached Within an Illuminate Education Product

Another school district has announced that student data stored on Illuminate Education software has been breached and said Illuminate is is mailing a letter to parents offering “complimentary” identity monitoring service for a year.

Safety and Wellness Platform Securly Acquires SEL Provider and Check–In App Rhithm

Securly, provider of student safety solutions and online activity monitoring, today announced it has acquired Rhithm, the mental health check-in app that promotes student well-being with social-emotional learning activities and content.

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