Schools faced more ransomware attacks than hospitals or governments faced in 2023, according to research from Emsisoft. Districts were targeted more in 2023 than they were in the previous two years combined. Because of the heightened risk, schools need tools that provide security directly to users without further straining IT budgets.
The various security features automatically included with Windows 11 — including Microsoft Defender products, identity protections and application security — give school districts a hefty toolbox of products to work with, offering numerous benefits to students, teachers and IT staff.
Secure Sign-On for K–12 Students of All Ages
Bill Hagen, Microsoft’s director of security solutions for U.S. education, points to Windows Hello as one of the security features that’s especially user-friendly for K–12 students.
DIVE DEEPER: Learn how Microsoft security features protect your staff and students.
“I think Windows Hello is a game changer because it allows for passwordless authentication, which is ideal for children, to just look at the camera and not have to remember a complex password,” says Hagen. Schools can set up password-free authentication via facial recognition or fingerprint verification.
Additional Encryption Measures to Keep Data Locked Down
The biometric data used for authentication with Windows 11 is encrypted on the system with a unique, randomly generated key. That means biometric data never leaves the device.
That’s not the only encryption feature Windows 11 offers to protect K–12 data and networks.
BitLocker encrypts entire volumes to protect data from unauthorized access, even if the drive is removed and connected to another system. This feature also automatically encrypts the operating system and fixed data drives on devices that meet certain security requirements.
With these careful security measures, BitLocker helps prevent data theft or exposure from lost, stolen or inappropriately decommissioned devices. It can also be set up to require a PIN or a startup key stored on a removable device to unlock the drive during the boot process.
Built-In Security Support for K–12 IT Teams
Windows 11 has built-in security protection agents such as Microsoft Defender Antivirus, which is a next-generation security solution, along with the Microsoft Defender for Endpoint agent.
Defender for Endpoint, which can be used with a third-party antivirus platform, can be installed on devices to provide the telemetry for Microsoft’s compliance and data security platform, Purview. With it, IT professionals can monitor, view and respond to threats, all in a unified security portal. They can also prioritize and automate compliance-related tasks.
Purview not only secures data in Microsoft 365 applications but also offers information protection, data loss protection, data lifecycle management and insider risk management features. Together, these tools allow for continuous monitoring, protecting school networks from malicious activity and any inadvertent data sharing.
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Another feature working in the background for IT teams is Windows Defender App Control, also known as Smart App Control. It’s designed to protect systems from malicious, untrusted or potentially unwanted applications. It does so by preventing the execution of apps identified as harmful or untrusted by Microsoft’s Intelligent Security Graph, a cloud-based security service.
The Signature Verification feature kicks in when the Intelligent Security Graph cannot make a confident prediction about an app, initiating it to check for a valid digital signature. Apps with valid signatures are allowed to run, while unsigned or invalidly signed apps are blocked. And unlike other security features, Smart App Control does not allow manual overrides or exemptions for specific apps.
“This feature is particularly useful for maintaining a secure environment by ensuring that only trusted applications can run on your device,” says Hagen.
Defense Against Emerging Threats That Put Data at Risk
As students and teachers use artificial intelligence more in the classroom, oversharing of data is a major concern. Purview offers visibility into whether students and faculty are using unauthorized generative AI platforms.
“Microsoft provides a range of integrated industry-leading security solutions to mitigate attacks, data theft and oversharing, and it starts with Windows 11 security features,” Hagen says.
For schools to get the most out of the Windows 11 security features, Microsoft offers workshops and partner-led training courses. When these security tools are used together and configured with recommended practices, students learn and work safely knowing their personal data is protected, whether it’s in the cloud or on their school-issued computer.
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