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Cyberattacks on Schools: A Growing Crisis

Posted: October 26, 2017 to Cybersecurity.

Tags: Ransomware, HIPAA, Malware, Data Breach

Move over, healthcare industry, hackers have a new easy target: our nation's schools. Dozens of school districts have been hit by hackers this year alone. It's the new easy target, as most school systems haven't felt the need to worry about cybersecurity up to now. Most teachers and administrators aren't very aware of cybersecurity practices, making techniques like phishing attacks more successful. The school systems have also tended to buck the FBI's advice not to pay ransoms in ransomware cases, figuring it's easier to pay and get things back on track than to try to work around it. People are also pretty leery of having student information made available to the public. Both of these have made attacking schools very profitable. The best way for school systems to stay ahead of the game is to make sure employees have proper cybersecurity awareness training.

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About the Author

Craig Petronella, CEO and Founder of Petronella Technology Group
CEO, Founder & AI Architect, Petronella Technology Group

Craig Petronella founded Petronella Technology Group in 2002 and has spent more than 30 years working at the intersection of cybersecurity, AI, compliance, and digital forensics. He holds the CMMC Registered Practitioner credential (RP-1372) issued by the Cyber AB, is an NC Licensed Digital Forensics Examiner (License #604180-DFE), and completed MIT Professional Education programs in AI, Blockchain, and Cybersecurity. Craig also holds CompTIA Security+, CCNA, and Hyperledger certifications.

He is an Amazon #1 Best-Selling Author of 15+ books on cybersecurity and compliance, host of the Encrypted Ambition podcast (95+ episodes on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and Amazon), and a cybersecurity keynote speaker with 200+ engagements at conferences, law firms, and corporate boardrooms. Craig serves as Contributing Editor for Cybersecurity at NC Triangle Attorney at Law Magazine and is a guest lecturer at NCCU School of Law. He has served as a digital forensics expert witness in federal and state court cases involving cybercrime, cryptocurrency fraud, SIM-swap attacks, and data breaches.

Under his leadership, Petronella Technology Group has served 2,500+ clients, maintained a zero-breach record among compliant clients, earned a BBB A+ rating every year since 2003, and been featured as a cybersecurity authority on CBS, ABC, NBC, FOX, and WRAL. The company leverages SOC 2 Type II certified platforms and specializes in AI implementation, managed cybersecurity, CMMC/HIPAA/SOC 2 compliance, and digital forensics for businesses across the United States.

CMMC-RP NC Licensed DFE MIT Certified CompTIA Security+ Expert Witness 15+ Books
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