Key points:
- Schools are popular targets for cyberattacks, but two-factor authentication can help protect data
- When implementing 2FA, schools should consider integration with existing systems, enhanced accountability for student activities, and preventing password sharing
- See related article: Key tips to help educators thwart cyberattacks
Education heavily relies on digital infrastructure, making it a hot spot for malicious activities. Check Point’s 2022 Mid-Year Report reinforces the urgency to secure educational institutions, highlighting a crazy 44 percent surge in cyberattacks aimed at the education sector compared to 2021. On average, schools suffered 2,297 attacks per week. That’s alarming, indeed.
The solution? Verify the identity of anyone with access to a school’s network. In this article, we’ll discuss how two-factor authentication (2FA) helps protect data in schools, compliance with 2FA in educational institutions, and the key features a 2FA solution should have for schools.
How does 2FA help protect sensitive data in schools?
Nearly all attacks require access to a school’s environment via a login–2FA helps prevent attacks on schools by fortifying login management.
How exactly does 2FA protect the login? 2FA goes beyond the password to require something the user knows (password) plus something they know or possess (hardware key or token, authenticator application). This two-layered approach ensures only authorized users access a school’s systems.
