Background photo of digital folders around a shield in blue and white. A bag of money in a trolley. Text says procuring a new MIS. Data Protection Education logo

DfE Guidance: Choosing a new MIS

✅📃 An MIS (management information system) is a critical part of the school's day to day operations and digital infrastructure.  They can be on premise or in the cloud, which means contract terms can differ.  We highlight the latest guidance alongside what is already data protection law - you should follow this, even if you are procuring your MIS through your local authority or third party IT provider.

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Sharing photos on World Book Day: Privacy considerations

📸✅ It's World Book Day on the 6th March when most schools will be celebrating reading and capturing photos of staff and students in their costumes.   Given this is one of many significant photographic events in the calendar, we thought it was a good opportunity to remind everyone of photo and video best practice.

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HCRG Care Group data breach

Some of our customers have been affected by the data breach reported by the HCRG Care Group.  The group is currently investigating claims by a ransomware group that more than two terabytes of sensitive information has been breached.

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How to verify visitors the right way

✅🔍 We visit a lot of schools and have a lot of conversations about documentation we are asked to provide as new and returning visitors to organisations. Sometimes we don't agree with what the organisation is asking for, so we thought we'd give some clarification about regulatory requirements.

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Short Guide to AI Video

🎥🤖  Some of the organisations we are talking to are a little confused about AI, whether they should use it and if their staff already are using it or not.  We've put together a short video explaining the different types of AI, the risks and how you should start documenting your use.

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Safer Internet Day, Cyber Security & Data Protection

🛡️🔒We couldn't get through today without mentioning it's Safer Internet Day today (11th February).  And while we don't need a special day to talk about being safe online, cyber security and data protection, we welcome any chance to highlight how important they all are.

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WhatsApp and FOI's: ICO Warnings

📲💬 We come across many organisations using WhatsApp as a communication tool with staff regularly and have previously highlighted some of the risks.  The ICO have recently published information about a case where WhatsApp messages had to be included in a Freedom of Information Request.

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The role of Passkeys in Cyber Resilience and Cyber Security

🗝️🛡️ In a world where cyber attacks are becoming increasingly sophisticated, protecting sensitive information and user accounts has never been more critical. Traditional passwords are rapidly being replaced by a more advanced and secure solution: passkeys. This article explores the benefits of passkeys, their role in preventing cyber attacks, and what to do if a system does not yet support them.

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ICO report on AI tools in recruitment

🤖🤖 The ICO recently published an overview reports about the use of AI tools in recruitment processes.  While it was recognised that it can offer benefits to employers, it recognises their use can also lead to risks for people and their privacy and information rights.

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Early Years Settings and Cyber Security

🧸 🚼 As digital technology continues to increase in our educational settings, Early Years settings are increasingly integrating digital tools into their operations.  While this might enhance efficiency and communication, it also raises concerns and challenges about cyber security and data protection.

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SLT Digital Lead Profile

👩🏽‍🏫👨🏽‍💻 Since we have been talking to schools and multi academy trusts about the SLT digital lead, there have been a lot of questions about who that should be in the organisation. There’s often an assumption that it should automatically be the IT Manager, technician, or Data Protection Lead.  In this article, we explore the profile of an effective SLT Digital Lead and their critical role in shaping digital strategy, integrating technology into teaching and learning,

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Effectively communicating during a cyber incident

📢 It's important to be prepared for when a cyber incident happens to you.  Part of that preparation should include having a Cyber Incident Response Plan, and part of that plan should include how to communicate, who does the communication and what they should say.

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Contracts Register

📃 A digital technology contracts register is a lit of all the contracts in your organisation with external suppliers for the supply of digital technology products and services.

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DfE Digital Standards Autumn Update

🍂 The DfE have published several updates to the DfE Digital Standards, updating the Filtering and Monitoring Standards, the Digital Leadership & Governance Standards and the Broadband Internet Standards for Schools and Colleges. We give our view on what that means and more details about the updates.

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  1. The importance of knowing how to access your CCTV footage!
  2. Cyber Attack on a Special School
  3. Stealing children's data
  4. What is dark data? (and why does it matter?)
  5. Ofqual highlights the value of cyber security training in schools
  6. Searching for data when you receive a Subject Access Request
  7. Fylde Coast Academy Trust Cyber Attack This Week
  8. Calling all IT leads in schools and mult academy trusts!
  9. Ransomware cyber attack on a school in Bromley
  10. Join Our Social Media Family!
  11. School hit by Cyber Attack
  12. Cyber Security Best Practice Area
  13. DfE Digital Standards for Schools and Colleges Tracker
  14. New Policies, Documents, Letters and Posters page
  15. Schools and Trusts Best Practice Area
  16. The DPE Retention Schedule
  17. Making the Rounds Update (now includes reporting)
  18. ESFA Cyber Essentials Requirement for Colleges from 2024/2025
  19. ICO Reprimands a School
  20. How does the recent global IT outage affect me?
  21. King's speech introduces new bills in relation to cyber security, smart data and digital information
  22. Out of date technology
  23. Data Retention and the Pupil File
  24. Have you assigned your SLT Digital Lead yet?
  25. What's a Cyber Incident and what should we do?
  26. Getting Started with AI (Artificial Intelligence)
  27. Cyber attack on a school during half term
  28. Free short cyber training for staff
  29. Update to the DfE Digital Cyber Security Standards for Schools and Colleges (May 2024)
  30. The rise of cyber attacks in schools are causing pupils to miss classes
  31. ICO: Learning from the mistakes of others report
  32. Children's mental health data leaked after a cyber attack
  33. Cyber attack on a Trust; the aftermath
  34. School Focus: The Vale Federation | Aylesbury
  35. DfE Dealing with Subject Access Requests (SARs) Guidance
  36. Update to the Guidance on Information Sharing from the DfE
  37. FOI Requests generated by Artificial Intelligence
  38. Social Media Best Practice Area
  39. Lettings Best Practice Area
  40. Appropriate filtering and monitoring definitions
  41. MFA Bombing - What is it?
  42. Protecting your Social Media Accounts
  43. Why we recommend using checklists
  44. Product Focus on Checklists : Initial Trust Plan
  45. Product Focus on Checklists : End of Term Checklist
  46. Product Focus on Checklists : Information and Cyber Security
  47. Product Focus on Checklists : Social Media
  48. Cyber Incident Review: The Benefits
  49. Product Focus on Checklists : Lettings
  50. Product Focus on Checklists : Record of Processing
  51. Milk Island: The secret location that allows children to view restricted content on Google Maps
  52. Why Data Should Stay Put: Benefits of Keeping Data in Its Original System
  53. Product Focus on Checklists : Data Retention and Destruction
  54. Product Focus on Checklists : Data Migration
  55. Product Focus on Checklists : Biometrics
  56. Product Focus on Checklists : Supplier Due Diligence
  57. Free Cyber help, advice and training with the Cyber Resilience Centres
  58. The Perils of Paper: The Printing Vulnerability
  59. Product Focus on Checklists : FOI
  60. Product Focus on Checklists : Governors and Data
  61. Product Focus on Checklists : DPIA
  62. Product Focus on Checklists : Site Moves
  63. Product Focus on Checklists : Data Breaches
  64. Product Focus on Checklists : Subject Access Requests
  65. Cyber attack on a University
  66. Product Focus on Checklists : Bring your own device
  67. Product Focus on Checklists : Working out of school/offsite
  68. Cyber Attack on a School
  69. Product Focus on Checklists : Redaction
  70. Major cyber-criminal gang Lockbit brought down by UK Law Enforcement
  71. Why Due Diligence is Important: Fake apps
  72. Product Focus on Checklists : CCTV
  73. Product Focus on Checklists : Clear desk
  74. Product Focus on Checklists : Commitment to compliance
  75. Product Focus on Checklists : Photos and video
  76. Product Focus on Checklists : Passwords
  77. Product Focus on Checklists : Information Classification
  78. Safer Internet Day 2024
  79. Kent Councils Data Breach
  80. Free cyber training for staff
  81. DfE Digital Standards Update
  82. The Mother of all Breaches
  83. ClassCharts Possible Data Breach
  84. Where is your data stored?
  85. IAPP looks at AI privacy risks
  86. If you suspect a financial scam .....
  87. Guardians of Privacy: 16. Social Media Checklist
  88. Guardians of Privacy: 15. Navigating Social Media in Educational Settings Summary
  89. Guardians of Privacy: 14. Social Media and Cyber Bullying
  90. Guardians of Privacy: 13. Social Media, Copyright and Intellectual Property
  91. Guardians of Privacy: 12. Social Media and Going Viral
  92. Guardians of Privacy: 11. Staff Social Media Accounts
  93. Guardians of Privacy: 10. Social Media and Cookies
  94. Guardians of Privacy: 9. Social Media and Morality
  95. New Resources for Schools from the ICO
  96. Guardians of Privacy: 8. Social Media Policies
  97. Guardians of Privacy: 7. Social Media Data Retention
  98. Guardians of Privacy: 6. Posting Safely
  99. Guardians of Privacy: 5. Social Media and Consent
  100. Guardians of Privacy: 4. Social Media Access Control
  101. Guardians of Privacy: 3. Social Media Channels
  102. Guardians of Privacy: 2. Law and Regulations
  103. Guardians of Privacy: 1. Social media, privacy and children
  104. Latest ICO Reprimand. Mr. S. Claus, Chief Executive Officer, North Pole Enterprises
  105. Phishing attacks targeting schools - alert from City of London Police
  106. The ICO reprimands a Multi Academy Trust
  107. KCSIE: Filtering, Monitoring and Privacy
  108. Guidance for the use of school email and applying email retention in schools
  109. CISA and UK NCSC Announce Joint Guidelines for Secure AI System Development
  110. Data Protection Tips for Early Years Settings
  111. Children's Privacy around the world is a puzzle
  112. Trust Initial Plan Checklist Update
  113. Update on Advisory for Rhysida Ransomware
  114. Records Management Best Practice Update
  115. Governors and Data Best Practice Area Update
  116. The Crime in a Cyber Attack and a Data Breach
  117. What do I need to redact?
  118. NCSC Annual Review is published for 2023
  119. Learning from Data Breaches
  120. Windows 11 security ineffective against attacks on old devices
  121. Trust Initial Plan for Data Protection Compliance (for Multi Academy Trusts)
  122. International Counter Ransomware Initiative 2023 Joint Statement
  123. Google for Education Resources: Helping IT Admins meet DfE digital and technology standards
  124. Resistant Cloud Backups
  125. Top Ten Cyber Security Misconfigurations
  126. Lettings Best Practice and Guidance
  127. ICO Reprimand: company suffered a ransomware attack
  128. The UK Online Safety Bill becomes an Act (Law)
  129. Considerations when migrating to a new MIS
  130. The importance of software updates (PaperCut vulnerability and Rhysida ransomware)
  131. Public bodies and sensitive data
  132. Adding offline bulk training using the Certificates function
  133. Ransomware, extortion and the cyber crime ecosystem
  134. Get a DPE Badge for your website!
  135. ICO: 10 Step guide to sharing information to safeguard children
  136. Cyber Resource: The Cyber Resilience Centre Group
  137. Email and Security: ICO recent guidance
  138. Help after a Cyber Attack/Incident
  139. Social Media Policy
  140. Data Protection and Cyber Security (Inset Day) Training Ideas
  141. Changes to Microsoft Free Licensing for Schools
  142. What to do in the event of a Cyber Attack
  143. Cyber Crime: AI Generated Phishing Attacks
  144. Handling Freedom of Information Requests the right way
  145. Cyber Attack: Exam Boards
  146. VICE SOCIETY - Ransomware attacks on schools
  147. Using Tags if you are a group of organisations in the DPE Knowledge Bank
  148. Where's Harry the Hacker?
  149. Be Cyber Aware: USB Sticks
  150. Cyber Insurance in the Public Sector
  151. Types of Cyber Attacks: DDos Attack (Microsoft DDoS Attack in June)
  152. Cyber Attack: Manchester University
  153. Cyber Attack: Leytonstone School
  154. The ICO Reprimands a school
  155. Be Cyber Aware: Firewalls
  156. Be Cyber Aware: Cyber attacks and transparency. A no blame culture
  157. Cyber Attack: Dorchester School
  158. Knowledge Bank Role Types: Admin, Staff and Trustee
  159. Types of Cyber Attacks: Password Attacks
  160. Be Cyber Aware: Why regular software updates are important
  161. Cyber Attack: Wiltshire School
  162. Keeping your IT systems safe and secure
  163. Types of Cyber Attacks: DDoS Attacks
  164. Types of Cyber Attacks: Phishing
  165. Types of Cyber Attacks: The Insider Threat
  166. Why your data is profitable to cyber criminals
  167. Using WhatsApp in Schools
  168. The Changes to Data Protection in the UK
  169. Knowledge Bank Updates
  170. Types of malware and how they are linked to data protection
  171. Striking Data Breach
  172. IPR Protection Email Scam
  173. Windows Server 2012 & 2012 R2 Retirement
  174. How to contact us for support, subject access requests, data breaches and FOI's
  175. YouTube breached child protection laws
  176. How a school fought back after a cyberattack
  177. Types of Cyber Attacks - Credential Stuffing
  178. January Cyber update - How Can Schools Help Prevent Cyber Attacks?
  179. Assigning courses to staff using to-dos
  180. How the Record of Processing Can Help You
  181. Information Security Basics: What are VPN's?
  182. What does a Data Protection Officer Do?
  183. Are you ready for a Data Breach?
  184. Carrying out Supplier Due Diligence
  185. How Long Should You Keep Personal Data For?
  186. The Education sector now at highest risk of cyber attacks
  187. How to Assess your Data Security
  188. Schools Blocked from Using Facial Recognition Systems
  189. The Children's Code
  190. B&H FoI: Racist/religious incidents/bullying
  191. Cyber Attacks
  192. Protocol for Setting Up and Delivery of Online Teaching and Learning
  193. Class Dojo International Data Sharing
  194. Model Publication Scheme: Amendments, Improvements and Updates
  195. Child friendly privacy notices
  196. Transparency
  197. Parents and students covertly recording conversations
  198. SAR? ER? FOI?
  199. Secure file transfer of files using Royal Mail
  200. Emergency contacts and consent
  201. Key elements of a successful DPIA
  202. FOI Publication Schemes
  203. SHARE: Avoid disinformation online
  204. Best Practice for Managing Photos and Video
  205. New Drip Feeds: Recognise and Respond to Subject Access Request
  206. When to contact the Data Protection Officer?
  207. National child measurement programme
  208. Make sure DPE is your registered DPO with the ICO
  209. Compliance Manager released
  210. Headteacher fined for breach of data protection legislation
  211. Emails – good practice and minimising the risk of a data breach

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