Social Security numbers, email addresses, and student health details are just a few examples of the private information the Central New York Regional Information Center (CNYRIC) handles on behalf of 50 school districts and four BOCES. In addition to the organization's commitment to improving student learning, the CNYRIC places the highest importance on the security of its clients’ private information. The CNYRIC plans to conduct end-user training for all employees in August to ensure best practices continue to be utilized when working with critical data.
“Providing end-user training for every CNYRIC employee is an opportunity to reaffirm our commitment to the security of school districts’ information,” said CNYRIC Assistant Director Rick Dillon.
The training will be provided by GreyCastle Security, a cybersecurity firm. The company will also conduct a risk assessment for the CNYRIC. The assessment will review how the CNYRIC handles secure information, as well as measure the organization’s cybersecurity risk.
“This is an opportunity to test our security systems, identify areas for improvement, and provide our stakeholders with the confidence that their critical data is secure,” said Dillon.
The risk assessment is part of the CNYRIC's ongoing efforts to maintain the integrity of districts' data. The organization earned Service Organization Control (SOC) II certification in 2015, following a year-long audit.
The CNYRIC plans to offer a risk assessment service to school districts in the near future.
To learn more, please contact Rick Dillon at rdillon@cnyric.org.
