Finance, marketing, healthcare – you name it. Almost every industry is adopting cloud computing. And imagine what? Education is no different.
K-12 school districts are enhancing the traditional learning environment with new, innovative, and collaborative educational technologies (edtech). Outside of the classroom, they use cloud-based resources to improve back-end processes such as billing, administration, scheduling, and more.
Unsurprisingly, adoption is growing. Technavio predicts the K-12 cloud computing market will increase by $1.74 billion through 2026. But don't forget: the cloud isn't just the future — it's here and now.
With so many applications, your district should take cloud security seriously. Not sure where to start? We'll provide you with everything you need to know about protecting your K-12 cloud environment.
What is cloud security?
According to Gartner, cloud security refers to the processes, mechanisms, and services that mitigate data privacy, compliance, and other risks associated with cloud computing. In other words, it includes everything your school district does to protect cloud applications and the information they contain.
What exactly are cloud services?
In short, they are third-party applications that are hosted and delivered over the Internet rather than installed directly on local hardware resources. For example, Google Workspace and Microsoft 365 offer a range of apps for various use cases: Google Drive for storage, Microsoft Word for writing, and so on. The primary goal of cloud security is to prevent people from using these assets inappropriately.
Let's say a student has attached a Word document to an external email, but that file contains sensitive information, such as their Social Security number. In this case, they may unintentionally reveal their personal data, which could ultimately lead to identity theft and fraud.
However, many accidents are not simply a case of human error. Malicious hackers often target cloud services, hoping to gain access to school-provided accounts. Why? Because the apps contain a treasure trove of valuable student data, including:
Personally Identifiable Information (PII) Payment Card Industry (PCI) Data Financial Information Medical Records. …and more
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Cloud vs. Endpoint vs. Network Security
One of the biggest mistakes you can make is thinking that your endpoint or network protection is moving to the cloud. In fact, this is not always the case. As you can see, cloud security is just one piece of a much larger cybersecurity puzzle:
Endpoint security focuses specifically on protecting devices — tablets, laptops, computers, etc. — from software-based attacks, such as viruses. Network security monitors, filters and regulates traffic on the school network. Since the network is how users access critical resources, it focuses on verifying legitimate traffic and blocking unauthorized individuals. Cloud security goes beyond network protection, protecting networks, servers, applications, and more. Basically, with the right mix of solutions, it can include more comprehensive infrastructure.
Bottom line: All three layers are essential layers of protection your school district needs to protect sensitive data. But without cloud security, you leave a huge hole in your defenses that can easily be exploited.
Why do schools need cloud security?
Every layer of security is important, but over time, the cloud is increasingly taking on a much larger role in the grand scheme of K-12 data protection. To illustrate, let us consider the rapid rise of cloud computing in the education sector.
Even before the COVID-19 pandemic, schools were adopting edtech systems at a steady pace. But once distance learning became a necessity, many had no choice but to step up to the plate. By 2021, more than 90% of school districts were using either Google Workspace, Microsoft 365, or a combination of the two, according to the EdWeek Research Center.
And today? The average school district accesses 2,591 educational technology tools over the course of an entire school year. Regardless of use, each of these applications presents a potential liability. With thousands of applications that need to be protected, you might think there would be an equal investment in cloud security – but unfortunately, that's not the case.
According to EdWeek, only 20% of cybersecurity budgets are allocated to securing data stored, accessed and shared in cloud applications. This huge security gap, in turn, puts students and staff at risk.
Growth in K-12 Cyber Threats
Not only is there a relative lack of dedicated cloud data protection, but there has also been a huge increase in the number of cybercriminals threatening the education sector.
According to the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), which studied the K-12 security landscape at the request of President Joe Biden, publicly disclosed incidents tripled between 2016 and 2021. But attacks are not only occurring more frequently, they are also more destructive. A study conducted by the Center for Internet Security revealed that 59% of K-12 public institutions are concerned about the increasing sophistication of cyber threats.
If you don't know what you're up against, here are some of the most common types of cyberattacks:
Malicious software (malware): Infects your infrastructure and steals sensitive data. Ransomware: Steals and blocks access to sensitive data and important resources until you pay to return them. Account takeovers: Breaking into accounts by obtaining login credentials, thus granting unrestricted access to cloud resources. Phishing: tricks users into sharing personal information, downloading malware, or clicking on malicious links.
Another factor to consider is how cyber/cloud security intersects with cyber safety. Although cloud security tools are not directly related to data protection, they can help you support the mental and physical well-being of your students.
Think about how many kids use cloud apps every day. You may not realize it, but many are sharing details about themselves or simply documenting their experiences through these apps.
Take Google Docs, for example. Some use it as a personal diary – and in turn, discuss anything from daily life to bullying to suicidal ideation. With the right cloud security platform, you can quickly identify at-risk students and provide them with the support they need.
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Common cloud security challenges
Even with cloud security, protecting cloud-based data isn't always easy. Here are some potential obstacles you may encounter along the way:
Limited visibility: Google Workspace and Microsoft 365 come with built-in protections, but unfortunately, these capabilities are usually limited. They do not give you the level of knowledge required to delve into and properly investigate specific risks. Worse still, they may let potential threats go undetected. Lack of Full-Time Experience: The CISA report emphasized a common concern among K-12 school districts – a lack of cybersecurity expertise. Most areas simply do not have the resources to hire professionals, and those who do often have outdated experience. This makes it difficult to stay on top of the latest cyber threats. Multitenancy: Some cloud providers host multiple customer infrastructures under one roof. Therefore, your services could be compromised as collateral damage if attacks hit other organizations. The MOVEit hack is a clear example of this domino effect. Shadow IT: Remember those 2,591 apps? Allowing your cloud environment to spiral out of control with invasive and redundant applications can significantly increase your risk exposure. Without vision, you often don't know what you don't know. Compliance: Of course, schools also have a legal obligation to protect student data. Navigating these regulations can be difficult, especially without proper cloud security.
What is a Cloud Access Security Broker?
Cloud Access Security Brokers (CASB) are essentially a security checkpoint. They sit between your users — employees, students, administrators, etc. — and your service providers. Like a sentinel, they screen people at the door of your cloud domain, allowing only authorized users to access your applications.
The goal of a CASB solution is to give you a top-down view of your entire cloud infrastructure. From this perspective, your team can regulate who can access cloud data and how it is used. This makes it easier to identify suspicious activities, monitor them, and take necessary action.
Here's how it works:
Detection: CASBs prepare a list of your cloud services, including any unauthorized applications that someone has downloaded at one time or another. Better yet, they identify the students/staff who use them. Rating: Next, they evaluate each application individually, determine its data, and rank it based on this information. Remediation: Finally, CASB solutions create a custom policy based on your needs, allowing you to automate remediation to eliminate potential threats.
Cloud Monitor, for example, is a CASB platform designed specifically for K-12 use cases. Using AI and automation, it simplifies threat detection and helps you protect cloud data at scale. Plus, it integrates directly with Google Workspace and Microsoft 365, providing a seamless user experience and unprecedented visibility.
Want to learn more about Cloud Monitor? Request a demo and level up your cloud security today.
The post Cloud Security Guide for K-12 Schools appeared first on ManagedMethods.
***This is a Security Bloggers Network syndication blog from ManagedMethods authored by Alexa Sander. Read the original post at: https://managedmethods.com/blog/k12-cloud-security-guide/
