Schools' Cybersecurity Needs Improvement

[InfoSec News <alerts () infosecnews org>]

http://www.informationweek.com/news/security/attacks/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=217500591

By K.C. Jones
InformationWeek
May 18, 2009 

Although school districts have moved toward improving network and 
building security, a rise in breaches has caused overall school IT 
security to drop, CDW Government's School Safety Index found.

In the past year, 55% of U.S. school districts reported breaches, 
including unauthorized user access and hacking or viruses, CDW 
Government said Monday. Sixty-seven percent of districts reported 
break-ins, unauthorized visitors, vandalism, or other physical breaches, 
according to the index. Nevertheless, 75% of respondents reported that 
their cybersecurity and physical security infrastructures were adequate.

The index, which reflects a national survey of more than 400 district IT 
and security directors, found that 41% of IT security breaches were 
caused by students and 22% by staff. Unidentified perpetrators (42%) and 
students (37%) cause most physical breaches, according to the index.

"Districts reported gains in important areas such as securing buildings 
and networks, but many are missing the opportunity to counter increased 
breaches by sharing best practices with other districts and engaging 
district administrators regularly on security priorities and 
investments," Bob Kirby, VP of K-12 education at CDW-G, said in a 
statement released Monday.

[...]


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