The White House has organized its first-ever summit to address the ransomware attacks impacting American schools. In the previous year, 45 school districts, comprising nearly two thousand schools, were targeted by ransomware incidents. During the summit yesterday, government officials, school administrators, and technology companies discussed ways to enhance cybersecurity measures for educational institutions.
The damage caused by these attacks can be substantial, ranging from $50,000 to $1 million, as reported by the White House. “These attacks have disrupted school activities and affected students, their families, teachers, and administrators. Sensitive personal information, including grades, medical records, documented home issues, behavioral data, and financial details of both students and staff, have been stolen and exposed.”
As part of the agreements reached, the US Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency will offer assistance and training to educational establishments in cybersecurity. The FBI will provide additional information on how schools can report cybersecurity incidents and leverage government “cyber protection.” Furthermore, various tech companies, such as Amazon, Google, and Cloudflare, have offered free products and services.
