Cyber breaches, including charter schools, are becoming a more familiar experience for non-profits nationwide.

The following tips will help provide an essential starting point for preventing a data breach and proper response:

• Perform a cyber risk assessment. The most critical step to preventing a cyber breach is understanding where you are most vulnerable.
• Educate leadership and staff.   Basic prevention techniques should be integrated into employee orientation and training, including logging out when away from your workstation, sharing passwords, exposing laptops or storage devices to theft, and leaving confidential information on your screen.
• We are securing storage space.  Periodically evaluate the measures used to control digital data and restrict access to the appropriate parties.
• Examine business agreements regarding data sharing. Data shared with vendors or other business associates should follow the “minimum necessary” standard.
• Add encryption software.  Adding encryption technology can render protected information unreadable and usable in the event of a breach.
• Institute a post-breach plan.  Any response plan should ensure it complies with state and federal notification requirements.  The program should also provide affected individuals with credit and medical monitoring services.
•  Obtain Cyber Liability Insurance.  Cyber liability insurance can help cover your company from any data and privacy-related coverage gaps, including fines, indemnity payments, and associated legal expenses.  It can also cover notification costs, system restoration expenses, and related business interruption losses.

To learn more about cyber liability protection for your charter school, please contact our office.