Can Your School Network Withstand Today’s Cyber Crisis?
These days, it’s rare to find a teacher that doesn’t use classroom technology. Even pre-pandemic, “UK schools top the global classroom for embracing technology, with a majority of parents supportive of remote/hybrid learning,” according to BDaily News. At least 64% of UK schools report using technology in everyday teaching and learning practices.
And what do these classroom devices all run on? The school network.
As edtech and education become more deeply integrated, schools are increasingly reliant on their networks to support the learning day.
This primer illustrates why a strong, secure network connection is the linchpin of modern learning and how schools can protect this valuable asset – as well as those who utilise it.
What Makes a School Network Durable?
Durable school networks are safe, reliable, and always connected. They share some other commonalities, too.
Most have fibre-optic connections or bandwidth they can scale as needed. These networks are also run by affordable internet providers, leaving schools room in the budget for network improvements and security tools.
Finally, durable networks also offer wireless connectivity that can reach classroom devices across the entire district school without interruption or lag time.
Why a Secure Network is Crucial
Building a firewall around the school network used to be the preferred method of protection. With the increasing occurrence and sophistication of school-targeted cyber threats, that’s no longer enough.
The stats around school cyber attacks are shocking.
FE News estimates almost 12,000 UK schools could be vulnerable to cyber attacks this year. Perceived as “easy targets”, schools are buckling down for another nightmarish run on their networks after two years of sustained cyber chaos.
The most prepared are bolstering their school networks with security solutions like:
- Next-Generation Firewall (NGF)
- Intrusion detection/prevention systems (IDS)
- Network monitoring and traffic segmenting
- Identity and access management tools
- Comprehensive endpoint protection
How to Find the Right Network for Your School
Google Cloud is committed to helping schools build more secure, scalable infrastructures for their institutions.
To help schools solve for a variety of network priorities, Google Cloud is transforming education with:
- Enterprise-grade tools, including the security centre, security investigation tool, and anomaly detection offered with Google Workspace for Education Plus.
- A secure-by-design infrastructure and global network which can detect, investigate, and stop threats to your school and users.
- Backup and disaster recovery solutions for the unexpected.
- Data warehouse modernisation for better insights.
- An AI-powered learning platform of applications and APIs with everything from interactive tutors to 24/7 student support.
- Collaboration and productivity tools for in-person or remote learning.
- Virtual labs and remote access for distance learning without disruption.
One final caveat: even the best network is no match for the uninformed user. If you really want to create a more resilient network, be sure to spend some time educating those who access it about what they’re up against.
