Cyber safety 101: safeguarding staff & student data in the mobile age

Connectivity and cybersecurity are now integral components of the modern education system. And access to a secure, reliable network is no longer a ‘nice to have’, but a non negotiable.

Over the last few years, education has seen a wave of technological advancement, from tablets in the classroom to remote collaboration. These changes have made teaching more efficient for educators and more engaging for students. But as educational organisations hold a vast amount of sensitive data such as student history, medical records, and financial information strong cybersecurity strategy essential. 

When you think of the typical target of cybercrime, most people imagine financial or governmental institutions. But because much of the data that educators hold falls under the umbrella of personally identifiable information (names, addresses, contact details, and academic records), this makes them an attractive prospect for hackers, as they look to gain unauthorised access, engage in identity theft, or even hold an organisation to ransom.

There is a misconception that cybercriminals might be less likely to target a public sector organisation. Many educators don’t consider investing in cybersecurity measures until it’s too late , compounding the problem. For example, only 16% of colleges have looked for external cybersecurity or IT providers. Budget fears might also play a role in this decision, as education providers may assume that cybersecurity measures will be costly, and not worth the investment — after all, it’s difficult to put a price on preventing a threat that might not occur.

But, unfortunately, it can happen to any education organisation, with the UK education sector the most likely to suffer from ransomware in particular. From the Maidstone secondary school hit with ransomware, to the London school forced to temporarily close after a cyber attack , no knowledge institution is safe. And with a risk of being fined up to 4% of your turnover or £20 million for accidentally breaching EU data protection laws, it’s doubly crucial for educators to ensure they have a strong security protocol in place today.

A great first step is to assess the state of your current connectivity. Strong, reliable network access is the foundation of every effective cybersecurity strategy, giving you the breadth of bandwidth required to maintain 24/7 security across all devices

Once this is in place, start building aholistic strategy to safeguard student and teacher data on the go. Increasing protection at device level is a sensible first focus. This can involve multi-factor and biometric authentication on mobile devices, and training on cyber hygiene for students and staff alike. In particular, the latter goes a long way fostering a safe,efficient, and resilient learning environment, helping to prepare students for a digitally connected world.

Would you know if your organisation had been targeted by cybercriminals? It can be surprisingly hard to tell if you’re the victim of a malware or phishing attack until it’s too late. To add an extra layer of security to the steps above, look into tools that protect against these types of crimes, as well as data loss, such as Three Mobile Protect. Alongside this, recommend the use of encrypted communication channels to employees, to ensure that even if data is intercepted, it remains unreadable.

Students and staff alike should be able to connect, learn, and thrive without the worry of cyberthreat — and with the right solutions in place, they can.

Three Business's connectivity solutions are tailored to suit your unique needs as an education provider. Our bespoke, value-first public sector plans are built to nurture a collaborative, secure learning environment, all underpinned by fast, reliable connectivity. And with the optional add-on of Three Mobile Protect, your staff and students can put privacy and security first while staying connected.

Find out how Three Business can help you to keep your students and teachers secure on mobile devices.