EPISODE SUMMARY
This week we focused on student privacy, with guests Tina Kim, NY Deputy Comptroller for State Government Accountability whose office just released an audit showing widespread lack of oversight by the state and district compliance with NY’s student privacy law, and Doug Levin, a cybersecurity expert and the National Director of K12 Security Information eXchange about what the federal government, states, and districts should be doing better to prevent student data breaches and what families can do to protect their children from identity theft after a breach has occurred. NYC schools have seen a rash of breaches lately; just last month it was announced that 45,000 NYC students and an untold number of teachers and service providers had their data exposed by the breach of a program called the MOVEit and last year, the Illuminate breach revealed the data of about 800,000 current and past NYC students.
EPISODE NOTES
NY Daily News, NYC school officials were warned of cybersecurity flaws weeks before attack on student data, July 9, 2023; https://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/education/ny-state-comptroller-warned-schools-of-cybersecurity-issues-before-nyc-breach-20230709-5nxdgo724rg3fi5mvpbt7lrzy4-story.html
Audit from the Office of the State Comptroller, Privacy and Security of Student Data, May 2023; https://www.osc.state.ny.us/files/state-agencies/audits/pdf/sga-2023-21s29.pdf
To contact the State Comptroller's State Government Accountability office with concerns about NYSED and/or NYC lack of compliance with the state student privacy law; contact Audit Director: Nadine Morrell; Phone: (518) 474-3271 Email: StateGovernmentAccountability@osc.ny.gov
The Journal, K–12 Ransomware Attacks Rose 43% in 2022, Encryption Used More Often, Survey Shows, June 8. 2023; https://thejournal.com/articles/2023/06/08/k12-ransomware-attacks-rose-43-percent-in-2022-encryption-used-more-often.aspx
Sophos, The State of Ransomware 2023; https://assets.sophos.com/X24WTUEQ/at/c949g7693gsnjh9rb9gr8/sophos-state-of-ransomware-2023-wp.pdf
EdSurge, Student Privacy Is at More Risk Than Ever Before. Can K-12 Schools Keep It Safe? April, 17, 2023; https://www.edsurge.com/news/2023-04-17-student-privacy-is-at-more-risk-than-ever-before-can-k-12-schools-keep-it-safe
74 Interview: Cybersecurity Expert Doug Levin on the Harms of Student Data Hacks, May 31, 2022; https://www.the74million.org/article/74-interview-cybersecurity-expert-levin-on-the-harms-of-student-data-hacks/
K12 Security Information Exchange (K12 SIX). “The State of K-12 Cybersecurity: Year in Review – 2022 Annual Report.” https://static1.squarespace.com/static/5e441b46adfb340b05008fe7/t/6228bfe3f412c818293e16e1/1646837732368/StateofK12Cybersecurity2022.pdf
EdWeek Market Brief: K-12 Dealmaking: Frontline Acquired for $3.7B; Illuminate Education Bought by Renaissance; https://marketbrief.edweek.org/marketplace-k-12/k-12-dealmaking-frontline-acquired-3-7b-illuminate-bought-renaissance/
