By: Gary Newbold, VP Regional Sales, EMEA, RUCKUS Networks
The need for strong and fast Wi-Fi™ in schools is greater than ever; it supports a wide range of educational activities and enables students and teachers to access digital resources seamlessly. Not only does it support traditional learning, but it’s swiftly becoming the backbone of modern education, transforming lessons through live video streaming, esports, interactive media suites, IoT-connected campuses, and AI-powered tools. However, as important as Wi-Fi speed and reliability are to the success of connected learning, the security of the network and devices connected to it are even more so. Sadly, while many educators trust their Wi-Fi security and existing cybersecurity measures, their confidence can be misplaced.
Having a heavy reliance on connectivity makes schools a prime target for cybercriminals; their databases store vast amounts of information, including personal identifiable information and sensitive data such as health and special education needs records. Alarmingly, UK government data revealed that in the past year alone, 71% of secondary schools, 86% of further education colleges and 97% of higher education institutions experienced a cyber-attack – ranging from attempts to steal personal data to full-scale system shutdowns.
Balancing the need to protect student data with the demand for seamless access to education presents a complex challenge. To gain deeper insight, we commissioned a survey of UK school leaders, capturing their perspectives, concerns and experiences. Their input helps identify best practices and areas for improvement in the realm of data security and educational access.
Schools need to meet specific security demands
Institutional networks inherently come with security concerns, as each connection to the outside world can serve as a potential entry point for threats. In schools, where safeguarding the data of minors is both a priority and a legal obligation, these security concerns are amplified.
That is perhaps why, when we asked leaders to think about the challenges and concerns of their IT networks, over half (56%) pointed to security and data privacy as their primary concern. Local authorities aren’t developers, so naturally, schools rely on third-party applications to support their staff and pupils. These tools must integrate into existing networks – many of which comprise a mix of modern and legacy systems – and comply with high-security standards without compromising access to teaching and learning.
The consequences of technological failures are getting more severe
With schools integrating digital resources into the classroom, technological failures can have severe consequences. As part of our research, respondents highlighted significant concerns related to the adoption of new solutions, with control over infrastructure (42%) and vendor reliability (38%) being key concerns. The safety and resilience of Wi-Fi in schools clearly require a broader perspective to address these issues effectively. For example, IoT and AI tools are now being integrated into classrooms to connect systems like heating and lighting. These advancements not only improve efficiency and sustainability but also offer additional benefits. Innovations such as air-quality monitoring can track CO2 levels, which are directly linked to student attentiveness and performance.
Despite the opportunities these innovations bring, the more they are adopted, the greater reliance the schools will become on them, and the network they connect to. That network needs to be reliable and secure. When a connection is unsecured it becomes vulnerable to various cyberattacks, such as man-in-the-middle (MITM) attacks, where an attacker can intercept and manipulate communications between devices. This can lead to unauthorised access to sensitive information and disruption of educational activities. Ensuring robust security measures for both the network and connected IoT devices is essential to protect against these various threats.
AI-driven network management tools offer advanced security features
One solution lies in changing how the network is managed. The same AI advancements transforming student learning can also work behind the scenes to help keep those experiences – and the business processes that depend on networking – secure and uninterrupted. For example, AI-driven networking hardware can enhance management and optimisation. These tools offer advanced security features to protect sensitive data so that teachers can meet an individual student’s needs while facilitating compliance with the latest data protection regulations. Additionally, IT teams can remotely manage networks and troubleshoot problems in real time with AI. The proactive insights and issue detection that AI provides enhance security by identifying and blocking potential threats, thus resolving potential issues before they can even start to affect students.
But to provide a safe and reliable Wi-Fi experience in schools, it’s also essential to adopt best practices that complement the advanced features offered by AI-driven network management tools. First, schools should implement robust authentication methods, such as certificate-based authentication. This adds an additional layer of security over traditional passwords, helping to ensure that each device connecting to the Wi‑Fi complies with the school’s security policies.
Additionally, schools should automate the device onboarding process so that only authorised devices get access to the school’s network and to help prevent potential security breaches. It’s also important to integrate the Wi-Fi network with identity management systems, such as Active Directory or third-party Mobile Device Management (MDM) solutions. This enables appropriate policies to be enforced whenever a device connects to the network, helping maintain consistent security standards across the school.
Lastly, offering self-service workflows for students and staff to quickly and securely connect their devices to the network can alleviate administrative burdens and reduce support issues, freeing IT teams to focus on more critical security tasks.
Security complacency can have serious consequences for schools. With schools relying on a vast array of online resources and tools for teaching and learning, now is the time to evaluate your security measures and identify potential vulnerabilities – especially within your Wi-Fi network. Don’t wait for a data breach or network outage to recognise the importance of robust Wi-Fi security.
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