During the month of October, departments across the district are partnering to help community members reduce their cybersecurity risks and protect themselves online for Cybersecurity Awareness Month.
“It’s a collaborative effort. Our goal is to make everyone — staff, families, students and the community — aware of how to stay safe online,” Eva Mendoza, senior executive director of Information Technology, said.
The need has never been greater. An August article in EdScoop showed 408 attacks on K-12 school systems in 2020, an increase of 16% from the previous year. Two area school districts have already been attacked in 2021. The reason districts are targeted is because they are rich with employee and family data.
“It's important to heighten our awareness of cybersecurity and its impact to school districts who are experiencing cyberattacks and ransom,” Becky Landa, senior executive director of Educational Technology and Extended Learning, said. “It's about safety for our students, families, and employees.”
The activities of the month will be centered around four thematic weeks, each with a specific focus: Be Cyber Smart, Phight the Phish, Cybersecurity Careers, and Cybersecurity First.
Throughout the month, Information Technology, Academics and Education Technology, CTE and Fine Arts are providing programming for the vast district community. Information Technology will be presenting a Meeting Road Show to various audiences, including cabinet, school administrators, librarians, and the board. There will be a parent session during the October Family Power Hour. Employees will complete Cybersecurity training to help further strengthen the district’s human firewall. Students will have digital citizenship activities through Brain Pop and Common Sense media. Guest speakers will present throughout the month to educate students about careers in Cybersecurity.
Students have the opportunity for some hands-on applications of Cybersecurity themes.
In September, students across the district participated in a poster contest, visualizing messages about safely interacting with others online. Winners will be announced in October and publicly displayed. Students will also be playing Cyber Defender, a card game designed by UTSA where players strive to securely increase the size of their networks.
As part of the district’s ongoing commitment to create future cybersecurity professionals, more than 100 students on 11 different campuses across the district participate in the CyberPatriots program, which puts high school and middle school students in charge of securing virtual networks. The students have opportunities to compete at the local, state and national level each spring.