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December 01, 2025 • read
Technology Tips: December 2025 Edition
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Skyward IT Services Network Infrastructure and Security Specialists |
Skyward IT Services
Data breaches in education
Schools were the #1 cyber target in 2025, and it’s looking like this will be the trend in 2026. According to DeepStrike, schools averaged 4,388 cyber-attacks per week. Phishing and ransomware exploited weak MFA and unpatched systems across the country. In Q1 2025, education experienced a 73% year-over-year increase in weekly attacks.A few of the largest breaches over the past year were with Chicago Public Schools (information on over 700,000 current and former students was leaked), PowerSchool (250,000+ records compromised), and Columbia University (nearly 870,000 individuals affected). If you are looking for ways to tighten up your districts security, make sure you are implementing strong MFA and pen testing, and ensure your vendors have strong security practices in place.
Strong security saves you more than just money; it gives peace of mind and secures valuable information and data that can’t always be retrieved once it’s stolen.
AI kidnapping scam
The FBI has warned about a new AI kidnapping scam to be on the lookout for. Hackers are taking regular photos from social media, altering them with AI to show a loved one in distress, and then demanding a ransom for their release. This scam is downright frightening.If this happens to you, try your best to stay calm. Try contacting your loved one before paying a ransom and look for inaccuracies in the photo if one is sent to you. The FBI encourages you to have a code word that only you and your loved ones know, which is helpful with video or phone recordings that could have been produced by AI.
Behind the Bell Podcast – Episode 2: Cyber Security 101: Empower, Educate, Secure
Tune in: Skyward security experts were recently guests on School Technology Associates, inc’s podcast “Behind the Bell.” Mike Bianco, Vice President of Information and Data Security at Skyward, and Greg Faas, Information and Data Security Analyst at Skyward, discussed the most common cyber attacks that school districts see and how they can mitigate these attacks. This podcast episode is full of helpful knowledge and tips!Malware of the month
China-linked backdoor malware gave bad actors access to numerous organizations’ networks for at least 17 months. BRICKSTORM malware, used by state-sponsored hackers, let bad actors embed in government agencies, IT, legal, and manufacturing sector networks.“These state-sponsored actors are not just infiltrating networks – they are embedding themselves to enable long-term access, disruption, and potential sabotage,” CISA Acting Director Madhu Gottumukkala said. The long-term hidden access is still being determined.
Learn more
Security.com has shared their five cyber security predictions in 2026.Thinking about edtech for your district? We'd love to help. Visit skyward.com/get-started to learn more.
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Skyward IT Services Network Infrastructure and Security Specialists |
