Photo of a cat with leopard markings laying down on a white background underneath black text: Password Day, we suggest not using your pet's name for passwords! Data Protection Education DPO badge

World Password Day

🔒 It's World Password Day - a reminder to check how secure your passwords are and where you store that information.  There's a lot of password help and advice out there which can be confusing.  We highlight the basic things you need to be thinking about.

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Photo of blocks and notepads with the words, honesty, integrity, values and ethics in red ink. Above the photo in white on black: National Honesty Day: How transparent is your organisation?

National Honesty Day: Transparency

⚖️🛡️ National Honesty Day, although one day to highlight the importance of honesty, it reminds us of how importance truth is in the realms of data protection and cyber security and how it should be part of an organisation's fundamental beliefs and ethos.

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FOI Request - BBC News

This article shares advice we have given to several customers who have received an FOI request from the BBC News about conducting research into the challenges of handling harmful sexual behaviour in schools.

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New Governor Resources

📢🏛️ We've published some new resources for governing bodies about data protection and cyber security.  Governors can be added to our Knowledge Bank platform as part of your subscription with us at no extra charge.

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World Backup Day

🔄☁️ Having a robust backup is being prepared against data loss and data theft.  March 31st is World Backup day to remind everyone of the importance of having a robust and accessible backup.

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Are teachers using AI? 83% say its a time-saver

🤖🕒 Most meetings we are having with schools at the moment feature conversations and questions around the use of AI by staff in  organisations.  It's clear the landscape is rapidly evolving and education may not be moving as fast, however, it does help to be prepared.

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Arbor AI - On By Default

💻 ⚠️ Arbor recently announced that it was including some AI as part of it's default configuration - some customers have raised questions about this with us.

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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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AI generated image of a key hole overlayed by a finger print on a cyber background. Data protection education logo on the bottom right of the image

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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  1. Early Years Settings and Cyber Security
  2. SLT Digital Lead Profile
  3. Ransomware-Resistant Backups
  4. The role of governors in cyber security and data protection
  5. Navigating Privacy at the End of Term , Special Occasions and End of Year
  6. Effectively communicating during a cyber incident
  7. Contracts Register
  8. South East Technological University has experienced a cyber incident
  9. Safeguarding Identity in Microsoft 365: Protecting the UK Education Sector Against Cyber Threats
  10. DfE Digital Standards Autumn Update
  11. The importance of knowing how to access your CCTV footage!
  12. Cyber Attack on a Special School
  13. Stealing children's data
  14. What is dark data? (and why does it matter?)
  15. Ofqual highlights the value of cyber security training in schools
  16. Searching for data when you receive a Subject Access Request
  17. Fylde Coast Academy Trust Cyber Attack This Week
  18. Calling all IT leads in schools and mult academy trusts!
  19. Ransomware cyber attack on a school in Bromley
  20. Join Our Social Media Family!
  21. School hit by Cyber Attack
  22. Cyber Security Best Practice Area
  23. DfE Digital Standards for Schools and Colleges Tracker
  24. New Policies, Documents, Letters and Posters page
  25. Schools and Trusts Best Practice Area
  26. The DPE Retention Schedule
  27. Making the Rounds Update (now includes reporting)
  28. ESFA Cyber Essentials Requirement for Colleges from 2024/2025
  29. ICO Reprimands a School
  30. How does the recent global IT outage affect me?
  31. King's speech introduces new bills in relation to cyber security, smart data and digital information
  32. Out of date technology
  33. Data Retention and the Pupil File
  34. Have you assigned your SLT Digital Lead yet?
  35. What's a Cyber Incident and what should we do?
  36. Getting Started with AI (Artificial Intelligence)
  37. Cyber attack on a school during half term
  38. Free short cyber training for staff
  39. Update to the DfE Digital Cyber Security Standards for Schools and Colleges (May 2024)
  40. The rise of cyber attacks in schools are causing pupils to miss classes
  41. ICO: Learning from the mistakes of others report
  42. Children's mental health data leaked after a cyber attack
  43. Cyber attack on a Trust; the aftermath
  44. School Focus: The Vale Federation | Aylesbury
  45. DfE Dealing with Subject Access Requests (SARs) Guidance
  46. Update to the Guidance on Information Sharing from the DfE
  47. FOI Requests generated by Artificial Intelligence
  48. Social Media Best Practice Area
  49. Lettings Best Practice Area
  50. MFA Bombing - What is it?
  51. Protecting your Social Media Accounts
  52. Why we recommend using checklists
  53. Product Focus on Checklists : Initial Trust Plan
  54. Product Focus on Checklists : End of Term Checklist
  55. Product Focus on Checklists : Information and Cyber Security
  56. Product Focus on Checklists : Social Media
  57. Cyber Incident Review: The Benefits
  58. Product Focus on Checklists : Lettings
  59. Product Focus on Checklists : Record of Processing
  60. Milk Island: The secret location that allows children to view restricted content on Google Maps
  61. Why Data Should Stay Put: Benefits of Keeping Data in Its Original System
  62. Product Focus on Checklists : Data Retention and Destruction
  63. Product Focus on Checklists : Data Migration
  64. Product Focus on Checklists : Biometrics
  65. Product Focus on Checklists : Supplier Due Diligence
  66. Free Cyber help, advice and training with the Cyber Resilience Centres
  67. The Perils of Paper: The Printing Vulnerability
  68. Product Focus on Checklists : FOI
  69. Product Focus on Checklists : Governors and Data
  70. Product Focus on Checklists : DPIA
  71. Product Focus on Checklists : Site Moves
  72. Product Focus on Checklists : Data Breaches
  73. Product Focus on Checklists : Subject Access Requests
  74. Cyber attack on a University
  75. Product Focus on Checklists : Bring your own device
  76. Product Focus on Checklists : Working out of school/offsite
  77. Cyber Attack on a School
  78. Product Focus on Checklists : Redaction
  79. Major cyber-criminal gang Lockbit brought down by UK Law Enforcement
  80. Why Due Diligence is Important: Fake apps
  81. Product Focus on Checklists : CCTV
  82. Product Focus on Checklists : Clear desk
  83. Product Focus on Checklists : Commitment to compliance
  84. Product Focus on Checklists : Photos and video
  85. Product Focus on Checklists : Passwords
  86. Product Focus on Checklists : Information Classification
  87. Safer Internet Day 2024
  88. Kent Councils Data Breach
  89. Free cyber training for staff
  90. DfE Digital Standards Update
  91. The Mother of all Breaches
  92. ClassCharts Possible Data Breach
  93. Where is your data stored?
  94. IAPP looks at AI privacy risks
  95. If you suspect a financial scam .....
  96. Guardians of Privacy: 16. Social Media Checklist
  97. Guardians of Privacy: 15. Navigating Social Media in Educational Settings Summary
  98. Guardians of Privacy: 14. Social Media and Cyber Bullying
  99. Guardians of Privacy: 13. Social Media, Copyright and Intellectual Property
  100. Guardians of Privacy: 12. Social Media and Going Viral
  101. Guardians of Privacy: 11. Staff Social Media Accounts
  102. Guardians of Privacy: 10. Social Media and Cookies
  103. Guardians of Privacy: 9. Social Media and Morality
  104. New Resources for Schools from the ICO
  105. Guardians of Privacy: 8. Social Media Policies
  106. Guardians of Privacy: 7. Social Media Data Retention
  107. Guardians of Privacy: 6. Posting Safely
  108. Guardians of Privacy: 5. Social Media and Consent
  109. Guardians of Privacy: 4. Social Media Access Control
  110. Guardians of Privacy: 3. Social Media Channels
  111. Guardians of Privacy: 2. Law and Regulations
  112. Guardians of Privacy: 1. Social media, privacy and children
  113. Latest ICO Reprimand. Mr. S. Claus, Chief Executive Officer, North Pole Enterprises
  114. Phishing attacks targeting schools - alert from City of London Police
  115. The ICO reprimands a Multi Academy Trust
  116. Guidance for the use of school email and applying email retention in schools
  117. CISA and UK NCSC Announce Joint Guidelines for Secure AI System Development
  118. Data Protection Tips for Early Years Settings
  119. Children's Privacy around the world is a puzzle
  120. Trust Initial Plan Checklist Update
  121. Update on Advisory for Rhysida Ransomware
  122. Records Management Best Practice Update
  123. The Crime in a Cyber Attack and a Data Breach
  124. What do I need to redact?
  125. NCSC Annual Review is published for 2023
  126. Learning from Data Breaches
  127. Windows 11 security ineffective against attacks on old devices
  128. Trust Initial Plan for Data Protection Compliance (for Multi Academy Trusts)
  129. International Counter Ransomware Initiative 2023 Joint Statement
  130. Google for Education Resources: Helping IT Admins meet DfE digital and technology standards
  131. Resistant Cloud Backups
  132. Top Ten Cyber Security Misconfigurations
  133. Lettings Best Practice and Guidance
  134. ICO Reprimand: company suffered a ransomware attack
  135. The UK Online Safety Bill becomes an Act (Law)
  136. Considerations when migrating to a new MIS
  137. The importance of software updates (PaperCut vulnerability and Rhysida ransomware)
  138. Public bodies and sensitive data
  139. Adding offline bulk training using the Certificates function
  140. Ransomware, extortion and the cyber crime ecosystem
  141. Get a DPE Badge for your website!
  142. ICO: 10 Step guide to sharing information to safeguard children
  143. Cyber Resource: The Cyber Resilience Centre Group
  144. Email and Security: ICO recent guidance
  145. Help after a Cyber Attack/Incident
  146. Social Media Policy
  147. Data Protection and Cyber Security (Inset Day) Training Ideas
  148. Changes to Microsoft Free Licensing for Schools
  149. What to do in the event of a Cyber Attack
  150. Cyber Crime: AI Generated Phishing Attacks
  151. Handling Freedom of Information Requests the right way
  152. Cyber Attack: Exam Boards
  153. VICE SOCIETY - Ransomware attacks on schools
  154. Using Tags if you are a group of organisations in the DPE Knowledge Bank
  155. Where's Harry the Hacker?
  156. Be Cyber Aware: USB Sticks
  157. Cyber Insurance in the Public Sector
  158. Types of Cyber Attacks: DDos Attack (Microsoft DDoS Attack in June)
  159. Cyber Attack: Leytonstone School
  160. The ICO Reprimands a school
  161. Be Cyber Aware: Firewalls
  162. Be Cyber Aware: Cyber attacks and transparency. A no blame culture
  163. Cyber Attack: Dorchester School
  164. Knowledge Bank Role Types: Admin, Staff and Trustee
  165. Types of Cyber Attacks: Password Attacks
  166. Be Cyber Aware: Why regular software updates are important
  167. Cyber Attack: Wiltshire School
  168. Keeping your IT systems safe and secure
  169. Types of Cyber Attacks: DDoS Attacks
  170. Types of Cyber Attacks: Phishing
  171. Types of Cyber Attacks: The Insider Threat
  172. Why your data is profitable to cyber criminals
  173. Using WhatsApp in Schools
  174. The Changes to Data Protection in the UK
  175. Knowledge Bank Updates
  176. Types of malware and how they are linked to data protection
  177. Striking Data Breach
  178. IPR Protection Email Scam
  179. Windows Server 2012 & 2012 R2 Retirement
  180. How to contact us for support, subject access requests, data breaches and FOI's
  181. YouTube breached child protection laws
  182. How a school fought back after a cyberattack
  183. Types of Cyber Attacks - Credential Stuffing
  184. January Cyber update - How Can Schools Help Prevent Cyber Attacks?
  185. Assigning courses to staff using to-dos
  186. How the Record of Processing Can Help You
  187. Information Security Basics: What are VPN's?
  188. What does a Data Protection Officer Do?
  189. Are you ready for a Data Breach?
  190. Carrying out Supplier Due Diligence
  191. How Long Should You Keep Personal Data For?
  192. The Education sector now at highest risk of cyber attacks
  193. How to Assess your Data Security
  194. Schools Blocked from Using Facial Recognition Systems
  195. The Children's Code
  196. B&H FoI: Racist/religious incidents/bullying
  197. Cyber Attacks
  198. Protocol for Setting Up and Delivery of Online Teaching and Learning
  199. Class Dojo International Data Sharing
  200. Model Publication Scheme: Amendments, Improvements and Updates
  201. Child friendly privacy notices
  202. Transparency
  203. SAR? ER? FOI?
  204. Secure file transfer of files using Royal Mail
  205. Emergency contacts and consent
  206. Key elements of a successful DPIA
  207. FOI Publication Schemes
  208. SHARE: Avoid disinformation online
  209. Best Practice for Managing Photos and Video
  210. New Drip Feeds: Recognise and Respond to Subject Access Request
  211. When to contact the Data Protection Officer?
  212. National child measurement programme
  213. Make sure DPE is your registered DPO with the ICO
  214. Compliance Manager released
  215. Headteacher fined for breach of data protection legislation
  216. Emails – good practice and minimising the risk of a data breach

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