In today’s digital landscape, hackers and bad actors have developed increasingly sophisticated methods. Their main goal is to steal personal information for malicious purposes and wreak havoc on your system. There are many digital pitfalls. However, there are plenty of protective measures you can take to keep your school safe. Fortifying your cybersecurity skills can help shield school systems from cyber attacks. Below are some cyber preparedness tips to help safeguard your school’s data:
- Identify fake websites. Bad actors often create deceptive sites aimed at harvesting personal data, employing URLs that closely mimic legitimate ones. Always double-check a URL before engaging with a website. Fraudulent URLs might use subtle variations like numbers, letters, and dashes that may go unnoticed.
- Dodge phishing emails. Be wary of phishing emails that often ask for login credentials or other personal information. Phishing attempts are deceptive because an email domain may appear similar to a trusted email account. For example, an email from staff@sunva11ey.edu is not the same domain as staff@sunvalley.edu. 💡 Notice the letter “l” is replaced by 1s in the phishing email’s domain. If you receive an email from ClassLink requesting personal information such as your login credentials, it is a phishing attempt.
- Avoid suspicious links. Only click links you trust. For increased security, add commonly used links to your school’s website for students, educators, and staff to access easily. For even more security, transform any link into a LaunchPad application, bolstering both convenience and safeguarding!
- Implement MFA. Use multi-factor authentication whenever possible to add layers of identity protection. ClassLink offers extensive MFA options that help secure online accounts, even if your username and password get compromised.
- Implement cybersecurity training. Require mandatory cybersecurity training for all staff and students. You can create your own training or use a training service to help keep your school secure. One option is ClassLink Academy, available in your LaunchPad account! The following courses offer a robust understanding of how to protect against cyber attacks:
- Security Awareness Anthology (available for ClassLink Administrators, educators, and staff)
- 1.1 Online Security Fundamentals
- 1.2 How to Protect Your Data
- 1.3 Phishing Attack Protections
- 1.4 What is Social Engineering
- Directory Services (available only to ClassLink Administrators)
- 2.1 Scope Your Google Directory
- Report suspicious activity. Unexpected logins, changes to passwords, and other unauthorized actions are examples of suspicious activity. If you notice any login attempts or password changes that seem out of the ordinary, reach out to your tech team. At ClassLink, we take all reports seriously and will work to investigate any unusual activity. Thanks for helping us keep everything safe and secure!
Take your cyber readiness to the next level with the Cybersecurity Rubric. The Cybersecurity Rubric is a free self-assessment tool that you can use to assess your school’s cyber preparedness.
Want to beef up your cybersecurity knowledge? Become a Certified Cybersecurity Rubric Evaluator (CCRE). Use the promo code CCRE4CLADMINS to access the training and exam for free, and become a CCRE hero, today!
