Articles from K12 SIX

Founded in 2020, the K12 Security Information eXchange (K12 SIX) is the independent, nonprofit cyber threat intelligence and best practices community for the U.S. K-12 education sector. Celebrating its fifth anniversary of operations this year, K12 SIX is committed to helping school districts and other K-12 organizations prevent and respond to evolving cyber threats, together.

In observance of Cybersecurity Awareness Month, the K12 Security Information eXchange (K12 SIX) is pleased to publicly release the 2023 – 2024 school year updates to its Essential Cybersecurity Protections series.

The K12 Security Information eXchange (K12 SIX), the nation’s K-12 education information sharing and analysis center, applauds the availability of new education-focused federal and private sector cybersecurity resources being made available for the start of the new school year. “At the start of the 2023-24 school year, K-12 cybersecurity stands at a crossroad,” said Doug Levin, director of K12 SIX. “Targeted federal support and resources will be instrumental in stemming the tide of cyber attacks against school districts. Only through a concerted, whole-of-nation effort can we expect to move the needle on school cyberattacks.”

The U.S. Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) has appointed K12 SIX Director Doug Levin to a two-year term on its Cybersecurity Advisory Committee (CSAC). The CSAC is comprised of experts on cybersecurity, technology, risk management, privacy, and resilience, who advise the CISA director on policies and programs related to CISA’s mission. In this role, Levin will advise on the unique cybersecurity needs and threats impacting the U.S. K-12 education sector and lend his expertise to guide policy and programs to support “target-rich, cyber-poor” entities across the nation.

K12 SIX applauds the release of “Protecting Our Future: Partnering to Safeguard K-12 Organizations from Cybersecurity Threats” by the U.S. Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA). The report, mandated by the K-12 Cybersecurity Act of 2021, clearly and concisely communicates the unique cybersecurity challenge the U.S. K-12 education sector is facing and recommends common sense steps that education leaders—including superintendents, school board members, and state policymakers—can take to bring about needed change.

The second largest school district in the U.S., Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD), recently announced that it was the victim of a ransomware attack. This incident is the latest and most high-profile of the thousands of cyber incidents suffered by schools in recent years.

The K12 Security Information Exchange (K12 SIX) is pleased to release the second product in its series of free cybersecurity aids for U.S. school districts, charter schools, and private school institutions: an incident response template and runbook to assist in preparation for a cyber-attack.

The K12 Security Information Exchange (K12 SIX) is pleased to release the first in a series of guidance and best practice resources designed to establish baseline cybersecurity standards for U.S. school districts, charter schools, and private school institutions.

K12 SIX is pleased to have represented threat information sharing communities on the Ransomware Task Force, a multi-sector group of institutions working to combat an increasingly prevalent and sophisticated threat.