Protecting School Cybersecurity Amid AI advancements: Regaining STASC (Security, Privacy, and Trust) Control

Protecting School Cybersecurity Amid AI advancements: Regaining STASC (Security, Privacy, and Trust) Control

In the rapidly evolving digital landscape, K-12 schools are increasingly adopting Artificial Intelligence (AI) to enhance teaching and learning experiences. However, this technological advancement also brings about new cybersecurity risks that require careful management.

Recently, a webinar hosted by Tech & Learning, titled "AI and K-12 Cybersecurity," discussed these challenges and potential solutions. The event featured Kyle Berger, CTO of Grapevine-Colleyville ISD, and Jena Draper, Chief Innovation Officer at Itopia. The webinar took place on April 8, 2025.

One of the key takeaways from the discussion was the importance of deploying AI-driven cybersecurity tools with autonomous detection and response capabilities. Itopia's SecureClass platform, for instance, aligns with solutions like SentinelOne Singularity™, offering AI-powered autonomous endpoint detection and response (EDR). These platforms provide real-time threat detection, automatic remediation, rollback of ransomware attacks, and unified data visibility across devices, including Chromebooks and cloud infrastructure.

Maintaining strict access control and data privacy policies is another crucial aspect. Integrated security platforms, such as SecureClass, combine access control, visitor management, and emergency response to restrict unauthorized access and protect sensitive data, ensuring compliance with data privacy regulations.

Schools must also perform thorough infrastructure and data flow audits to identify vulnerabilities and control data movement, reducing the risk of unauthorized exposure. This includes identifying critical systems and sensitive data, mapping network traffic, and reviewing access permissions.

Educators and IT staff require AI literacy and cybersecurity training to ensure responsible AI use and maintain human oversight for ethical standards and data privacy. Schools can leverage federal programs and funding opportunities to maximize eligibility for initiatives that support AI integration with an emphasis on security and privacy.

Collaboration with state agencies and Information Sharing and Analysis Centers is also vital, particularly in an environment of decentralizing federal oversight. These partnerships extend districts’ cybersecurity expertise, improve threat intelligence, and help protect especially smaller or rural schools.

Itopia's SecureClass offers a cloud-based, centralized platform designed to manage virtual desktops and applications securely for education. This facilitates controlled, monitored, and secure access to AI tools and data without installing software locally, thus reducing on-premises attack surfaces and preserving data privacy. Integration with strong identity management and encryption protocols further strengthens data security.

In the last 90 days, SecureClass has blocked over 18 million websites for suspicious activity around malware and phishing. The threat landscape is evolving, with bad actors increasingly using AI for malicious purposes. Schools need tools and strategies to defend against these advanced threats.

A significant focus for schools and AI should be data control. The webinar emphasized the need to use AI to fight AI threats. The aim was to explore how districts can take charge of their cybersecurity strategy, ensuring proactive threat prevention, responsible AI adoption, and total data control.

A replay of the webinar is available for viewing for those who missed it. By adopting a multi-layered strategy that balances innovation with risk mitigation, K-12 schools can safeguard students’ privacy and the integrity of educational data while embracing the benefits of AI.

[1] SentinelOne, (2021). SentinelOne Singularity: The Future of Endpoint Security [2] Itopia, (2021). SecureClass: Empowering Schools with AI-Powered Cybersecurity [3] U.S. Department of Education, (2021). ED Cybersecurity: Resources for Schools and Districts [4] National Cybersecurity Alliance, (2021). Cybersecurity for Schools: A Comprehensive Guide

1. The webinar, "AI and K-12 Cybersecurity," hosted by Tech & Learning, highlighted the significance of deploying AI-driven cybersecurity tools, such as SentinelOne Singularity™, which offers autonomous endpoint detection and response (EDR) capabilities.
2. Itopia's SecureClass platform, a key topic during the discussion, aligns with platforms like SentinelOne, providing real-time threat detection, automatic remediation, and unified data visibility across devices, including Chromebooks and cloud infrastructure.
3. To maintain data privacy, integrated security platforms like SecureClass combine access control, visitor management, and emergency response, restricting unauthorized access and protecting sensitive data.
4. Schools should conduct infrastructure and data flow audits to identify vulnerabilities and control data movement, ensuring compliance with data privacy regulations and reducing the risk of unauthorized exposure.
5. Collaboration with state agencies and Information Sharing and Analysis Centers is essential to extend districts’ cybersecurity expertise, improve threat intelligence, and help protect schools, especially smaller or rural ones.

Read also: