When it comes to incorporating security measures and standards into our school systems, physical barriers and measures such as security guards, camera systems, and door locks. These strategies are critical for preserving the integrity of physical safety within the school building and surrounding areas, and ensure a state of confidence among community members whose children attend.

While physical security does, and always should, come first when weighing options to protect students, it is important to recognize the relationship that exists between physical security and other forms of security, including cybersecurity. Although it is often put in the background of funding and education efforts, high cybersecurity standards are necessary in order for physical security measures to be impenetrable. The following are common instances witness by members of the Cybersecurity Program:

Camera Systems

• Camera Systems within schools are essential for monitoring activity and are a valuable aid in handling certain situations. However, if access to these systems is compromised and falls into the wrong hands, it can serve as a devastating weapon to those seeking to do harm and malice. Instances of camera service login portals being left open to public access are common and failure to remove default accounts and establish effective multifactor authentication methods when available leave a susceptible backdoor to attackers

Cloud-Based Servers

• Exposed data located in cloud-based servers has become a more prevalent issue as techniques to access this data become more mainstream. Specifically, Amazon S3 utilizes an organization concept called “Buckets” that contain a mix of data and if left open can easily be viewed by the general public manually or with scripts. This opens the door to exposed student medical forms, building blueprints, evacuation and drill plans, and other sensitive information that can be dangerous in the wrong hands.

Compromising Devices

• Products such as the multi-tool Flipper Zero have capabilities to capture and replay RFID signals and hijack Bluetooth communications. This opens the door to captured faculty ID cards being used to enter unauthorized areas of the building, malicious content being played or displayed on school technology, and sensitive financial card information being stolen without the knowledge of the victim(s).

Leveraging a balanced mix between allocating resources towards physical and cyber security is crucial due to their dependency on one another. One cannot firmly exist withouth the other and leaning too far in either direction leaves organization valuable assets and individuals exposed to harm. Applying risk management strategies and ideology to program organization and development is key to ensuring steps toward the complete protection of students and faculty.

Additional Resources

• Center on Positive Behavioral Interventions & Supports (PBIS) – Implementing Physical Safety Measures Effectively at Schools