North Carolina school districts prepare for increasing threat of cyberattacks

NASHVILLE, N.C. — North Carolina school districts are taking steps to address the new and growing threat of cyberattacks, according to reports from WTVD.

“We’ve seen an uptick in attacks, attempted attacks, and the impact from those attacks over the last several years,” said Torry Crass, the state’s chief risk officer with the North Carolina Department of Information Technology.

The North Carolina Department of Information Technology said nine cyber incidents that involved education systems have been reported this year. That is a big increase from the last two years, according to WTVD.

Earlier this month, the Biden administration encouraged schools to start cyber drills as a way to combat this growing threat.

These attacks can put staff and students’ information at risk, close schools, and be costly.

Nash County Public Schools is one of the districts already implementing training on cyber security awareness.

The district told WTVD that it has made major investments in technology that allow technology officials to monitor all devices and systems in the district from a single command center.

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“We contain just as much sensitive data and information as an entity does. It’s important for school systems to take the right steps and measures to protect that data,” said Heather Finch, the executive director of Communication, Planning, and Engagement at Nash County Public Schools.

The U.S. Government Accountability Office recently reported that a cyberattack can lead to learning loss for three days to three weeks and take schools months to fully recover. The report found these attacks can cost schools up to $1 million. The Office made recommendations for the U.S. Department of Education and Department of Homeland Security to evaluate schools’ cybersecurity services and establish a way to coordinate these efforts.

Cyberattacks could look like phishing emails or ransom attacks that block access to critical components, according to WTVD.

Guidance to avoid attacks in educational settings closely follows workplace recommendations. Those include not opening suspicious links, ensuring antivirus software is up to date, and using strong passwords.

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