When it comes to achieving strong student data privacy, the more layers of security you have, the stronger your defenses. In addition to members of the industry working together with openness and honesty about data privacy, risks, breaches, and threats, other members of the community and a security-first approach can also play significant roles in protecting student data privacy.
Staff and Students Contribute to Strong Student Data Privacy
Human error is the most common cause of a data breach, because really, all it takes is a successful sophisticated phishing email that results in someone clicking on a link to put your entire district at peril. However, your staff and students can also be a strong layer of security. A well-informed school community is the first line of defense against data breaches. Conduct regular training sessions for staff and students to raise awareness about the importance of data privacy and the potential risks associated with improper data handling.
Data Minimization and Zero Trust Are Essential for Strong Student Data Privacy
Reduce risk by reducing your threat landscape. Adopt a data minimization approach by collecting and retaining only the necessary information. Avoid unnecessary data accumulation, reducing the risk associated with handling extensive volumes of sensitive information. Adopt a zero-trust posture that requires every person and device to authenticate at every connection.
Regular Updates and Patch Management
It is shocking the number of successful data breaches that occur simply because regular updates and patches had not been diligently managed. Stay vigilant in keeping all software and systems up to date. Regularly apply security patches to address vulnerabilities and protect against potential cyber threats. Implement a structured patch management system to streamline this process.
Collaboration with Stakeholders Ensures Strong Student Data Privacy
Foster collaboration with other school districts, education technology vendors, and local authorities to share best practices and insights. Establishing a network for information exchange can significantly enhance your ability to tackle emerging data privacy challenges.
School Passport’s Privacy Governance Console begins by auto-discovering all applications being used within a district. It then leverages technology to collect data about each application and correlates the apps with 1Edtech’s TrustEd database to rate PII data exposure risk. IT staff members can select whether to filter PII to specific vendors or anonymize it. In short, the Privacy Governance Console within School Passport enables districts to discover data leakage risks and mitigate them. Learn more: https://gg4l.com/privacy-governance-console/
