Cyber Smart Week 2019

by | Sep 13, 2019 | Blog, Protect, Safety & Security | 0 comments

Next month is Cyber Smart week (14-18 October) and our good friends at CERT NZ – the government agency helping improve cyber security in New Zealand – will be putting in an extra effort to raise awareness about how we can all stay safe from cyber security attacks.

This year CERT NZ is asking all New Zealanders to think about how safe they are online, and urging them to ‘make sure of it’. They offer four simple and practical steps we can all take to safeguard ourselves against an attack:

  1. Use a password manager –  it’s an easy and secure way to keep track of all your passwords
  2. Turn on two-factor authentication – it adds another layer of security to your online accounts
  3. Update your software and devices – to fix any bugs, viruses and weaknesses
  4. Check your privacy settings – to stay in control of what information you’re sharing and who you’re sharing it with

You can sign up to receive updates when Cyber Smart Week news and resources are released here.

If you or your school do suffer a cyber incident or attack, CERT NZ’s online reporting tool is the place to report it. They will help identify the issue and advise on the steps you can take to resolve it. If in doubt you can also reach out to your N4L Relationship Manager or give us a call on 0800 LEARNING.

The number of cyber security threats blocked by N4L is rising. On a typical day in June 2019, N4L blocked more than 2.7 million cyber security threats. These threats include malware, phishing, ransomware and DDoS attacks.

The technology we use to block these threats keeps schools connected to our Managed Network safer from cyber threats. School internal networks can be  exposed to a number of cyber security risks. For example, students or staff may be using a malware-infected device and not know it, especially if the device is brought in from home. An infected device can infect other devices through the school’s network. 

There are ways to help manage this – such as installing security certificates on every device, but this solution isn’t for everyone. It’s challenging to manage device security for devices you don’t own.

CERT NZ offer a number of tips and guidance on keeping school networks safe.

You can check these out here.

It offers some great tips and advice, but don’t forget we’re here to help. Just give our Helpdesk a  call on 0800 LEARNING – or contact your school’s Relationship Manager directly.