Cybersecurity

October is Cybersecurity Awareness Month, a nationwide initiative to raise awareness about the importance of protecting our digital lives. As technology continues to play a vital role in education, it's more important than ever that we work together to keep our systems, data, and students safe. 

This year’s theme is the “Human Firewall”, we each play a critical role in cybersecurity because of our system and data access.  Becoming a Human Firewall focuses on helping each of us make a significant difference by following these best practices: 

• Pause Before You Click – Hover over links and check the sender before opening attachments or responding to unexpected messages. 

• Verify Requests for Sensitive Info – If someone asks for passwords, credentials, or files—even if it looks like it came from someone you trust—confirm using another method. 

• Use Strong, Unique Passwords – Avoid reusing passwords and encourage the use of passphrases or password managers.                                                                                                                                                     ATTENTION: If you haven’t changed your password yet, do it before October 21st! 

• Lock It When You Leave It – Never leave devices or accounts unattended, especially when logged into student or staff systems. 

• Report Suspicious Messages Immediately using the “Report” button in Outlook.  (It looks like a red shield and has options for reporting Phishing or reporting Junk.) 

*We’ll be sharing tips and resources throughout the year on this page to help you stay informed and prepared.*