Hastings Public Schools Boosts cyber security

HASTINGS, Neb. (KSNB) - Just a few days removed from a cyber threat at Thayer Central, one local school district is choosing to be proactive in stopping cyber threats. Hastings Public Schools is revamping its cyber security. Those in the school system will be required to go through dual authentication before having access to the system.

HPS has already started the process, but said the overhaul could take up to a year to be complete. It’s all to help avoid anyone accessing sensitive information and avoiding an incident that hits close to home.

“It’s just been the increase, and you hear the stories all the time, different entities getting hacked.,” said HPS Superintendent Jeff Schneider. “School districts getting held ransom. There was I think CHI Health, that was held ransom here a couple of months ago. So just more and more incidents like that.”

Schneider said boosting their cyber security system also came as a requirement from their insurance provider. He also said taking these steps will reduce the chance of any information being compromised.

“I don’t think there’s anything that’s 100% but it’ll reduce the risk of us dealing with somebody having our student information system or business information system,” Schneider said.

Schneider said although nothing is perfect, this preventative measure is a good start. The cyber security upgrades will reduce the threat of any information being stolen.

“It’ll reduce those changes, nothing is prefect,” Schneider said. “It also increases the likelihood that we’ll have good insurance coverage if we were ever to experience something like that. So those are the big things.”

Schneider said the main thing is making sure everyone’s information connected to HPS is safe and secure.

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