Security & Privacy


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.

Linewize Offers No Cost Student Safety Audits to All US Schools and Districts

Linewize is offering a no-cost student safety audit to every U.S. school and district through the end of June, including a review of a school’s safety plans and a trial of its student online activity monitoring solution, followed by a report for school administrators identifying potential risks and recommendations for implementing a “holistic student safety program,” the company said.

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.

List of Schools in New York Impacted by the Illuminate Education Data Breach

The New York State Department of Education sent the following list of schools "known to have been affected by the Illuminate Education data breach" in response to a Freedom of Information request by THE Journal. NYSED said "not all students at every school had their data compromised," but also noted that at some schools, both current and former students' data was compromised.

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.

Number of Districts Impacted by Illuminate Student Data Breach Grows as a Third Alerts Parents

The number of school districts whose student data was breached during a January cyberattack on Illuminate Education’s systems continues growing as a third district last week alerted parents their students’ personal information was compromised within Illuminate's Educlimber software.

Whitepapers