A framework for cyber protection (FCP) in K-12 education sector

Education is one of the most often targeted sectors for cyber threats. K-12 schools and school districts are facing a variety of challenging threats as today’s cyber-attacks are becoming more sophisticated and intelligent. In addition to cybersecurity threats, an emerging threat caused by the increased access to digital content has increased students’ exposure to a wider variety of online threats and inappropriate content. As a result, the need for cybersecurity and student cybersafety became urgent. As the digital domain is changing how students perceive, interact with, and respond to the world, controls need to be in place to ensure the protection of students from online threats, such as: cyberbullying, inappropriate content, sexting, sextortion/ransomware and online Predation. This paper proposes a novel education-specific K-12 Cyber Protection Framework (CPF) that provides industry-led cybersecurity and cybersafety standards and guidelines for school districts across the province to implement.