Back to school
Back to school is a peak time for cyber attacks. New students, equipment, and staff accounts mean there are increased opportunities to exploit vulnerabilities.
Here are some actions you can take now to set you up for the school year.
Autumn term actions
review and remove expired or dormant accounts
enforce multi-factor authentication (MFA) on all staff accounts, especially email and remote access
check software, security patches, and anti-phishing protections are up to date
register for the Early Warning Service, a free cyber threat alert service
refresh staff training using the NCSC cyber security training for school staff
remind staff of strong password policies
Review and update your cyber response plan at least once a year
check staff roles and responsibilities are accurate
contact details are up to date
find templates and guidance on our cyber response plan pages
back up and print out new copies of your plan
Planning ahead?
Attacks and the school year has actions for the whole year.
You can also use the Plan technology for your school service for recommendations on how to meet the DfE cyber security standards.
Poster: What you need to know and do
This printable checklist outlines practical actions schools can take to improve their cyber security at the start of the school year and throughout the year.
View and print PDF