As a local business with employees operating in the communities in and around Seattle, seeing cyberattacks plague our city the past couple weeks has been difficult. Between the attack on the SEA-TAC airport and today’s attack on a local school district, it is becoming increasingly important to prioritize cybersecurity – in both the private and public spaces.
In today’s digital world, cyberattacks are not just a corporate or government issue—they are an issue that can hit any sector, including education. Over the weekend, Highline Public Schools in South King County found themselves facing this harsh reality when they had to close all schools on Monday, September 9, due to a cybersecurity incident. The district detected unauthorized activity on its systems and quickly acted to isolate critical areas, working with third-party, state, and federal partners to restore and secure their systems.
For the families of the Highline School District, this closure leaves parents scrambling to reconfigure their schedules, students without a place to go for the day, and everyone wondering when it will be back to normal. On top of that, today marked the first day of kindergarten for an entire new class of students, and they will all be waiting to experience their first day of school until after this issue is resolved.
The FusionTek Take
As a local business with deep roots in the pacific northwest, attacks like this have a direct effect our clients, our staff, and their families. With an abundance of knowledge in the cybersecurity space, having worked on plenty of malicious attacks, we can say that an attack like this is incredibly targeted. The first day of school is like opening day for a baseball team – incredibly anticipated; and these attackers were planning to take advantage of the school’s desire to resolve this as soon as possible.
Scott Simon, Chief Revenue Officer at FusionTek and former CISO remarked, “Security through obscurity is no longer a safe defense for businesses, infrastructure, and our schools” adding, “the sooner we all accept that cybersecurity needs to be a priority amongst the places we live, work, and play, the better off our communities will be.”
Cybersecurity Is a Community Issue
This incident underscores an important point—cybersecurity isn’t just an IT issue; it’s a community issue. For families and educators, understanding the importance of cybersecurity and advocating for stronger measures within schools is vital. We must work together to ensure schools are equipped with the resources and knowledge they need to fend off and respond to cyber threats. Cyberattacks may be unpredictable, but with the right preparation, we can minimize their ripple effects and protect what matters most—our students, school staff, and families.
