News
Finalsite attack: schools need to up their cybersecurity ante
January 2022 by Ric Longenecker, CISO at Open Systems
Last week, a ransomware attack on Finalsite compromised the websites of 5,000 schools nationwide.
This attack is just the latest on schools nationwide, responsible for interrupting remote learning, and compromising the data of educational institutions.
According to new analysis from Ric Longenecker, CISO at Open Systems:
“Schools continue to be ransomware attack targets, as illustrated by the recent Finalsite attack. With so many educational institutions continuing to rely on remote learning, these organizations – which have a wealth of data, including addresses, banking and credit card details, medical information and Social Security numbers – are particularly attractive to bad actors.
Although it seems that Finalsite and the thousands of schools that use its software escaped the attack without their data being compromised, this event highlights the need for schools to increase their cybersecurity efforts and decrease their attack surfaces. Schools can take these important steps by working with a managed detection and response (MDR) solution provider.
An experienced MDR provider combines AI technology and human know-how to assess threats and speed up effective mitigation of attacks before they spread and impact students, faculty and parents. A better MDR provider goes beyond detection and response to actual reduction of the attack surface and increase of the school’s security maturity, to prevent future breaches.”
