"Administration Launches New Efforts to Strengthen America's K-12 Schools' Cybersecurity"
In recent years, the US has seen a rise in cyberattacks aimed at the nation's schools. During the 2022-2023 academic year, at least eight US K-12 school districts were affected by cyberattacks, four of which required schools to cancel classes or close entirely. In addition to disrupting school operations, these attacks have affected students, their families, teachers, and administrators. Sensitive personal information, including grades, medical records, documented home issues, behavioral information, and financial information, have been stolen and leaked by cybercriminals. Therefore, Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona and Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas joined First Lady Jill Biden in convening school administrators, educators, and private sector companies to discuss best practices and new resources available to improve school cybersecurity, protect American families and schools, and prevent cyberattacks from disrupting US classrooms. According to a report published by the US Government Accountability Office (GAO) in 2022, the loss of learning following a cyberattack can be from three days to three weeks, and the recovery period can range from two to nine months. Furthermore, the financial losses faced by school districts as a result of a cyber incident ranged from $50,000 to $1 million. This article continues to discuss the new efforts to strengthen America's K-12 schools' cybersecurity.