Cyber security workshop

by | Aug 28, 2024

Dear member of the school management team,

A cyber Security Workshop for the Education Environment

An essential 2 Hour Workshop for Primary and High Schools

  • Venue: Your school
  • Time: You choose
  • Cost R 195-00 per member of staff
  • Workbook and full manual
  • Certificate
  • SACE accredited certificate (CPTD allocation/Type 3/10 Points/ Leadership and Management.)

Bookings are open for term 4 and the 2025 academic year.

Click on and populate the below link to book your schools workshop today:

Introduction

In an increasingly digital world, the safety and security of our educational institutions have never been more critical. Schools today are not just places of learning; they are repositories of valuable personal information and sensitive data belonging to students, parents, and staff. Unfortunately, this makes them prime targets for cybercriminals looking to exploit vulnerabilities for identity theft, financial gain, or malicious intent.

Unlike huge corporations that have budgets of thousands of rands for cyber security, this workshop aims to protect a school on a minimal budget.

The COVID-19 pandemic has further exacerbated these vulnerabilities, with educational institutions facing a significant increase in cyber-attacks. Over the past year, 1.18 billion emails processed by SYNAQ contained threats, indicating that nearly half of all email interactions in schools are at risk. Cybercriminals have exploited the shift to online learning, with incidents of social engineering and ransomware attacks becoming more prevalent. For instance, schools in the Eastern Cape have experienced ransomware attacks that left them locked out of their data for nearly a year.

Recognizing these challenges, we are excited to propose a comprehensive cybersecurity workshop designed specifically for South African schools. Our goal is to empower educators and staff with the knowledge and tools necessary to navigate the complexities of cybersecurity, fostering a safer and more secure learning environment for everyone involved.

Workshop Contents:

 An introduction to Cyber Security

Why would schools be a target of Cyber-attacks?

  1. Valuable data: Schools store large amount of valuable data and personal information. Including students, parents, and staff. This data can be exploited for identity theft, sold on the dark web, or used in phishing attacks to impersonate individuals.
  2. Lack of training: Staff and students in educational settings often have limited awareness of cybersecurity risks. This lack of training makes them more susceptible to social engineering attacks, such as phishing, where attackers manipulate individuals into revealing sensitive information.
  3. Limited or no cybersecurity resources: Many schools operate with tight budgets, often allocating less than 1% of their IT budgets to cybersecurity. This lack of investment leads to inadequate security measures, making it easier for attackers to infiltrate their systems.
  4. Increased Attack Surface: The shift to online learning and reliance on technology, accelerated by the COVID-19 pandemic, has expanded the attack surface for schools. Many institutions adopted new technologies rapidly, often without proper security measures, increasing vulnerability to cyber-attacks.

 Understanding Cyber Threats

  1. Definition of cyber threats: malicious activities targeting systems, networks, and individuals. These include:
  • Phishing attacks
  • Social engineering
  • Ransomware
  • Malware
  • Extortion
  • Insider threats
  • IoT threats
  • DDoS attacks

 The risks and dangers of AI

  1. Deepfakes, the new threat to educators and students.
  2. Improved social engineering attacks.
  3. Lack of Preparedness and Awareness.
  4. Data and information are at risk.

The Role of Employees in Cybersecurity

  1. Human error is the biggest risk in cyber security.
  2. Human error accounts for approximately 95% of cybersecurity breaches.
  3. Examples of risky behaviours: weak passwords, falling for phishing scams, and neglecting security protocols.

 The solution

  1. Training educators and office staff
  2. Have a cyber safety mindset
  3. Limit access to information
  4. Learning how to properly secure passwords
  5. Clear policies and procedures
  6. Have backups of important data
  7. Foster a culture of accountability

Dealing with a cyber predator in the education environment.

  1. The identification of a potential predator
  1. b)   Evaluating the threats to staff and learners
  2. Protocols and procedures to follow.

Cyber safety for educator- protecting yourselves:

Cyber safety section for staff learning how to protect themselves in the digital world.

Risks of Open Information

Having specific information open to the public can create vulnerabilities and make your school easier to attack.

The POPI Act

  1. What is it?
  2. How can a school be compliant?
  3. Ways of keeping data safe.
  4. Cyber Safety Best Practices, fixing your schools digital hygiene.

Tips on how to secure your school while on a budget.

Building a Cyber Safety Culture both with staff and students.

Educating and assigning tasks to make the most cyber safe environment.