"K-12 School Districts Failing at Cloud Security"

American K-12 school districts are vulnerable to cyberattacks targeting data in cloud applications, according to researchers at EdWeek Research Center. The researchers conducted an online survey between July 14 and September 15, 2021, that was filled out by 214 administrators who said they had at least a medium level of influence on technology decisions. Respondents included 54 technology officers, 52 district superintendents, and 30 curriculum and instruction directors.  The researchers found that 30% of K-12 school districts do not have a cloud security platform in place to monitor and protect the data stored in cloud applications.  Half of the respondents said either they did not have a platform in place or had no idea if a platform had been implemented in their district.  Nearly a third (31%) did not know if their cybersecurity platform consistently monitors the level of risk of files shared with users outside the district’s domain or monitors for potential violations of government regulations. More than a quarter (28%) of respondents stated that they did not know if their cybersecurity platform monitors the level of risk of files shared within or uploaded into their domains or if it reports who has access.  Most respondents (86%) said they use cloud-based learning management systems (LMS) or plan to move these systems to the cloud.  The researchers also found that the median budget district administrators have available for cybersecurity is $20,000 annually, of which 20% will go toward protecting cloud applications in 2022.

Infosecurity reports: "K-12 School Districts Failing at Cloud Security"