The ransomware threat in K-12 education: Response and mitigation

Ransomware continues to be a top attack vector for cybercriminals —and K-12 schools and districts are a preferred target. More than half of all ransomware attacks were directed at K-12 schools during the start of the 2020 school year, according to the FBI.

Often due to a lack of resources, too few districts and systems have made the needed changes to ensure their systems and sensitive student data remain secure. But school and district leaders can leverage new technologies and the collective knowledge of education organizations and their partners to protect their schools and the communities they serve from new and emerging threats.

“It’s a big problem, and people are afraid to tackle it,” says Derek Root, a K-12 business development manager for Amazon Web Services (AWS). “The first thing you need to do is get started.

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