The risks of insecure file-sharing platforms for school boards
Consider this scenario: a school board member, eager to share a crucial document with fellow board members, uploads it to an insecure file-sharing platform. The board member assumes the platform is safe and is happy to have found a convenient way of sharing. However, there was a breach of one of the public servers of the file-sharing platform, resulting in the potential exposure of confidential student information and financial data. Now the school, district, superintendent, board, students and parents are panicking.
School board members may see file-sharing platforms as an efficient and simple way to exchange or share documents. However, use of this technology makes boards and districts vulnerable to cybersecurity risks such as malware, viruses, data loss, phishing scams or the exposure of sensitive information.
Let’s examine what file-sharing is, risks associated with file-sharing and how your board can avoid exposure and keep your information safe.
What are file-sharing platforms?
File-sharing platforms are software applications that allow school boards to send and access files in a shared storage space in the cloud. In these platforms, owners and senders of the files can establish permissions to determine who is allowed to access them.
File-sharing apps support collaboration in real-time. There are many free file-sharing applications that most individuals are familiar with. While these platforms can be enticing, they are not meant to support confidential or sensitive data, as they lack security and other features that can protect private information from cyberattacks.
Common file-sharing solutions
One or more of these file-sharing solutions may be familiar to you or even in use by your district. They often position themselves as having specialized tools for education governance or classroom management and can be free or low-cost.
- Google Workspace for Education. This includes Google Classroom and Google Drive.
- Microsoft 365 Education. This includes Sharepoint and OneDrive.
- Dropbox Education
- Canvas by Instructure
As ubiquitous as these platforms and tools are, they are not without risk, and “free” solutions can often come with costs, from financial to legal to reputational. Consider that a platform a teacher uses for homework management has very different security considerations than the platform the board uses for staff compensation, student health information or other sensitive material the board has access to.
Risks associated with using insecure platforms
School districts have become major targets for cyber attackers. School boards have a responsibility to care for, protect and secure the sensitive information related to their school district.
There are, unfortunately, a number of risks associated with using file-sharing platforms for school boards:
Lax security
Cyberattacks on districts are not only launched through viruses used to destroy school networks; file-sharing platforms with lax security features pose just as great of a risk to school boards and their districts. As technology has advanced, so have cyber criminals in their efforts.
Sensitive data exposure
Personal information, large financial transactions and other confidential and sensitive information can make school boards lucrative targets for sensitive data exposure.
Using file-sharing apps, an individual may be giving other users access to sensitive or confidential information, even unknowingly. Once information has been exposed to unauthorized people, the results can be devastating and irreversible.
Cloud-based file-sharing applications can put information at risk of being accessed, viewed and shared by other individuals. These incidents of data exposure can even be unintentional, or a result of the weaknesses in the file-sharing application's security.
Data loss
Documents or materials stored on cloud-based file-sharing apps can be accessed, reviewed, blocked and even deleted by the application provider.
It is vital for districts to have a backup system in place to restore full performance and function in the event of sensitive data exposure or loss. Data loss may seem simple or harmless compared to sensitive data exposure, but data loss can be just as devastating and overwhelming.
Vulnerability to attacks
Some file-sharing apps may ask for permissions that can open a user's firewall to transmit files. However, this can give cyber attackers access to your computer or allow them to attack your computer by taking advantage of any exposures that may exist through the file-sharing platforms. There are even some applications that can modify and penetrate a user's firewalls, without the user's knowledge.
Choosing a secure solution
Secure software can be extremely useful in supporting board mobility and modern governance. Utilizing the right technology, the work performed by the board can be seamless and easily accessible from anywhere.
School boards have the opportunity to use technological tools to support more effective and strategic decision-making. Information and materials can be easily shared and accessed seamlessly through a secure board management platform, meaning board members continuously are ”'in the know” and can perform their best work for the district and community.
When school boards are sharing files through board management software, it is imperative that they look at the features and capabilities of the software in terms of securing sensitive data. The software should promote and support strong cybersecurity practices to protect sensitive data related to the public school district and its students.
Investing in secure technology pays off
School boards understandably want to minimize budget line items, and when there is a seemingly “free” solution, it can be a significant temptation. But, as we’ve seen, “free” file-sharing platforms are not free from risk. The cost of losing sensitive data, especially personally identifying student information, is high and irreversible.
Lack of preparedness and investment in secure solutions is a key factor in why school districts have become targets for cyberattacks. The investment in software that effectively and efficiently secures sensitive data related to the district and its students pays for itself in protecting from damages suffered from cyberattacks. Why Diligent Community instead of file-sharing platforms
When it comes to sensitive data the information should be stored on a private secure server and on sites with high-level encryption (256-bit encryption is the strongest level of security currently available). Consider the risks of free or low-cost file-sharing platforms and how Diligent Community compares.
| File-sharing platform risk | How Diligent Community mitigates risk |
|---|---|
| Lax security | Diligent Community encrypts all data. This high level of encryption (256-bit) is critical for protecting sensitive information from unauthorized access and cyber attacks. |
| Sensitive data exposure | Diligent Community allows districts to set specific permissions, enabling control over who can access sensitive information. This capability helps minimize the risk of exposing confidential data inadvertently. |
| Data loss | Diligent Community incorporates daily backups to safeguard against data loss, ensuring that important documents and information can be restored if compromised. |
| Vulnerability to attacks | Instead of using public servers, Diligent Community operates on secure servers that protect against data breaches and unauthorized exposures. |
Leveraging board management software like Diligent Community helps school boards mitigate the risks associated with insecure file-sharing platforms. Diligent Community's security features support and promote cybersecurity practices that protect the sensitive information of your district and your students, while still providing the school board with a seamless and streamlined tool to share and access pertinent district information.
Delia Smart, Board Manager at Visalia Unified School District, says,
Diligent Community is the right solution for all the board’s activities. Let us help you secure your board’s sensitive data and make file-sharing easy. Schedule a demo today.
