The Biden administration, in tandem with several companies, is announcing new actions to boost cybersecurity in schools.
First lady Jill Biden, Education Secretary Miguel Cardona and Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas were set to convene school administrators and private sector technology companies at the White House to announce the new steps on Monday, but the event was canceled due to a tornado watch in the Washington, D.C., area.
The actions include new federal and private sector funding to strengthen cyber defense in elementary, middle and high schools, a boost in training offered and an effort to increase coordination between federal, state and local leaders in education.
At least eight school districts experienced cyberattacks during the 2022-23 school year, leading to disruptions in classes in four of them, according to a White House fact sheet. A U.S. Government Accountability Office report says attacks increased during the COVID-19 pandemic when students and educators switched to remote learning.
Last year, a ransomware attack on Los Angeles Unified School District – the country’s second-largest school district – stoked nationwide concern. In Nov. 2020, classes at Baltimore County Public Schools, for instance, were disrupted for several days after the school system was hacked by a phishing email.
The USGAO report found that cyberattacks can cause a school district $50,000 to $1 million.
As part of the administration’s new initiative to crack down on attacks, Amazon Web Services is starting a $20 million dollar grant program for school districts and state education departments as well as offering free training.
“We are committed to helping education communities better prepare for cybersecurity risks, build cyber resilience, and access solutions to improve defenses at every point in their cybersecurity journeys,” Education and U.S. State and Local Government at Amazon Web Services Vice President Kim Majerus said in a statement.
Additionally, the Federal Communications Commission is proposing a pilot program providing up to $200 million to schools and libraries to shore up cyber security, and the Department of Education will create a Government Coordinating Council to increase collaboration between the government and school districts.
