Cybersecurity Tips for Teachers

Now that you have an understanding of the cyber threats that educators face today, you might be wondering, what do I need to do to ensure myself, my school and my students are safe? Here are five steps you can follow to help prevent these attacks, provided by the Texas Computer Education Association:

1. Encrypt Your Data: Hackers today can obtain classroom data by intercepting it while actively in transit. By protecting your data using encryption, you can prevent cyber attackers from stealing the data that you send and receive.
2. Comply With Your Institution’s Cyber Protocols: It is very likely your school already has cybersecurity measures in place to protect users. It is important to follow these provisions and contact your IT or Cybersecurity department if an issue arises.
3. Safeguard Your Devices From Physical Attacks: Always log out of your computer when you step away. To keep passwords safe, try to avoid writing them down or entering your credentials within view of someone else.
4. Back Up Your Data: If your work or institution requires the storage of student data, it is important to back it up to prevent attackers from targeting this private data in Ransomware-style attacks where you may be locked out until a ransom is paid.
5. Practice Good Password Management: It’s easy to take shortcuts when it comes to passwords. A password management program such as LastPass can help you to maintain unique passwords for all of your accounts.