Like many other organizations, educational centers can be the target of frequent cyberattacks. In most cases, cybercriminals are attracted by the possibility of accessing the financial data of both teachers (and other contracted personnel), as well as the families of students who are also minors, with which we are talking about especially sensitive information.
But there are also other types of risks that schools and training centers that connect to the Internet face and that differentiate them from other types of organizations. Some of the most prominent are the following:
Identity fraud
Identity theft is a serious threat facing schools. If digital security is not properly managed, the personal data of students, faculty, and administrative staff may be at risk, including such sensitive information as medical records, financial data, or academic records.
Of course, the most worrying risk lies with the data security of younger students, who are especially vulnerable to phishing, which can lead to all sorts of problems.
Harassment of minors
One of the most unwanted consequences of a possible identity theft is the harassment of minors. Cybercriminals sometimes use the sensitive documentation of children and adolescents from schools and institutes to harass them, but also to give rise to situations of blackmail or even extortion situations.
Firewalls and filters
The lack of security measures in the Internet connection in educational centers puts the privacy and security of your information at risk. If proper firewalls and connection filters are not implemented, third parties can easily access the school’s network and system.
For example, if a student connects a malware-infected device to the school network, sensitive information may be vulnerable to attack by cybercriminals. In addition, connection filters help block access to inappropriate content on the Internet, which is particularly important to protect students.
Intranet abuse
The Intranet has become one of the most important digital assets that educational centers have, since it is here that most of the resources and information are usually shared between students and teachers.
Unauthorized access to the intranet of a college or school endangers part of the center’s sensitive information, but it can be much more serious if what is attacked is the intranet of, for example, a university, where related information can be stored. with the academic research that is being carried out.
Disinformation
Online disinformation can have a significant negative impact on educational centers that are connected to the Internet and that do not have measures that facilitate the filtering of information and the websites that students may or may not consult when they are in the center or use certain equipment.
As a consequence of this misinformation we find the spread of hoaxes, the lack of credibility or difficulty in accessing proven information and even educational inequality based on the resources that students have.
Protect the network of your educational center
Combating these risks is in the hands of the technological managers of the centers. The first step to achieve it? We suggest you download this free eBook, which we publish with the support of D-Link, and in which we explain step by step how to deploy secure computer networks in schools, schools, academies and other educational centers with access control, filtering of webs/apps, student/teacher network segmentation and high performance.
Throughout it we offer you general advice to improve the center’s connectivity, but also technical guides and video tutorials aimed at IT departments or companies that install networks in this type of center. Do not miss it!
