Schools today rely heavily on technology — student management systems, online learning platforms, cloud email, payment portals, and third-party education apps. While this improves learning and administration.

Schools today rely heavily on technology — student management systems, online learning platforms, cloud email, payment portals, and third-party education apps. While this improves learning and administration, it also makes schools an increasingly attractive target for cyber attacks. Unlike large corporations, most schools operate with limited IT resources, yet they manage highly sensitive data: student records, health information, family details, and staff data. A single cyber incident can disrupt learning, damage trust, and expose the school to regulatory and reputational consequences. So what does good cyber security actually look like for a school? Why Schools Are High-Risk Targets Cyber criminals target schools because they are often: · Under-resourced from a cyber security perspective · Dependent on email and cloud systems · Managing large volumes of personal and sensitive information · Using many third-party education platforms · Focused on teaching, not threat detection Common incidents in schools include phishing emails, compromised staff accounts, ransomware attacks, unauthorised access to student systems, and data breaches involving third-party vendors. The Foundations Every School Must Have Cyber security for schools does not start with expensive tools. It starts with strong foundations. 1. Protect Student and Staff Data Schools must understand: · What personal information they collect · Where it is stored · Who can access it · Which third parties process it This is critical for compliance with privacy obligations and for reducing the impact of a breach. 2. Secure Email and User Accounts Email remains the number one entry point for cyber attacks in education. Schools should ensure: · Multi-factor authentication (MFA) is enabled for staff · Strong password policies are enforced · Access to systems is limited to what staff actually need A compromised teacher account can quickly become a whole-school incident. 3. Patch and Update Systems Regularly Unpatched systems are easy targets. Schools should maintain: · Regular updates for operating systems and applications · Clear responsibility for patching · Visibility over legacy systems that may no longer be supported 4. Backup Critical Data Properly Backups protect schools from ransomware and accidental data loss. Effective backups are: · Regular and automated · Protected from unauthorised access · Tested to ensure data can actually be restored Backups that fail when needed offer a false sense of security. Aligning with Australian Cyber Expectations Australian schools are increasingly expected to align with guidance from the Australian Cyber Security Centre and frameworks such as the Essential Eight. The Essential Eight provides a practical, risk-based approach to reducing cyber incidents and is well suited to schools when applied sensibly — not as a tick-box exercise. Key areas include: · Application control · Patch management · Multi-factor authentication · Backup resilience · Restricting administrative privileges Schools don’t need to reach the highest maturity overnight — but they do need a clear, realistic roadmap. Governance Matters More Than Technology One of the most overlooked areas in school cyber security is governance. School boards and leadership teams should be able to answer: · Do we understand our cyber risks? · Who is accountable for managing them? · Are controls tested, or just assumed to work? · Do we know how to respond to a data breach? Cyber security is now a leadership responsibility, not just an IT issue. Training Staff and Students Human error is involved in most cyber incidents. Schools should provide: · Regular cyber awareness training for staff · Phishing awareness and safe email practices · Clear reporting channels for suspicious activity Training does not need to be technical — it needs to be relevant and practical. Incident Response: Being Ready Matters Every school should have a simple, documented incident response plan that covers: · Who to contact · How to contain an incident · How to assess whether a data breach is notifiable · How to communicate with parents, staff, and regulators Trying to design a response during an incident almost always leads to mistakes. Cyber Security Is About Trust Parents trust schools with their children’s information. Staff trust systems to work safely. Students trust learning platforms to be available. Strong cyber security protects: · Student wellbeing · School operations · Reputation and community confidence It is no longer optional — and it does not need to be overwhelming. How We Help Schools At Cyber Audit Solutions, we support schools with: · Practical cyber risk assessments · Essential Eight alignment tailored for education · Privacy and data protection reviews · Governance and board-level reporting · Incident response planning and readiness Our approach is risk-based, realistic, and designed for schools — not enterprises with unlimited budgets. If your school wants to understand its cyber risks and what to prioritise next, contact us for a confidential discussion.