What’s The Mantra For Schools To Fight Cyberattacks?

Cybersecurity is a major concern today. With the world turning digital and information becoming a prized possession, it has become increasingly easy to access any data from any part of the world. This makes it all the more important to protect all kinds of data. This is true not just for governments and multinational corporations, but also for schools. 

There is so much confidential information about the school, students, teachers, staff and your transactions. Today, it is not very difficult to steal information stored in your computer. So, is going online a bad idea for your school? No! You simply need to learn ways to protect your data from cyberattacks. Here are five ways to make your school data immune to cyberattacks.

Ensure Data Backup

One of the easiest and effective ways of protecting your data online is to have a backup. This will store your data at least for a month. Store it away from your current data either online or offline. There are many safe online storage products available, provided by popular brands such as Apple, Google and Microsoft. NextERP also provides safe and secure online storage protection. It secures online payments, student profiles, staff data, transactions and other important information with the help of OTPs and two-factor authentication.

Identify Phishing Emails

To protect your data, you must be very careful about the information you send out and the information you receive. Phishing emails are one of the most common methods of hacking devices with just a click. According to Verizon’s 2018 Breach Investigations report, 92 per cent of viruses enter through emails. To avoid such deceit, train your staff to identify phishing emails and delete them regularly. Double-check unknown emails before responding to them or pressing the call-to-action button. Ensure you send school-related emails only with an account that has your school domain and avoid disclosing information on a phone without confirming the identity of the caller. Also, do not share passwords via emails.  

Beware of External Devices 

You might often be required to transfer information from one device to another. But when you do that through a pen drive or a hard disk, you don’t just transfer information. Sometimes, you may also transfer viruses that can be a threat to your devices. Always ensure you are exchanging information from the people you know, in the most authentic ways. Remember to protect your devices with the right antivirus and upgrade them regularly. This will protect your data even if you have to transfer data from one device to another.

Avoid Visiting Compromised Websites

Although browsing the Internet is the easiest and the most popular way of getting and sharing information. However, it could be dangerous too. Cyberattackers are waiting to trick you to enter your devices. The safest way is to ignore pop-up ads and random links to unauthentic websites. These are usually the sources of dangerous software and viruses that enter your devices and steal your data within a fraction of a second. 

Limit Administrative Privileges

Another effective way to protect your data from cyberattacks is to provide limited access to it. Provide access to confidential information to only the selective members of your staff. Authorise them to be the point of contact for anyone who is looking for information about the school. Train them to verify and give information only after confirming the identity of the person requesting the information and the purpose for which the information is required.  

Curbing cybersecurity is possible only through awareness. The more aware you are of the possible threats to your school’s information, the safer it will be. NextLearningPlatform doubly secures your school’s data with Amazon Web Services (AWS) and Beagle Security. If you want to know how to secure your school’s data, schedule a demo today!