Introduction
The workshop hosted by the New Jersey School Boards Association (NJSBA) marked an impressive gathering of over 8,000 educational leaders and professionals. Spanning four days, the event was a hub for board members, superintendents, business administrators, charter school trustees, technology professionals, facilities managers, curriculum directors, industry partners, and others to engage in rich networking and professional development. D2 Cybersecurity was proud to participate, offering our insights and connecting with stakeholders in education from across the state.
Vendor Showcase
As a featured entity at the Atlantic City Convention Center, D2 Cybersecurity engaged with a diverse array of public school officials. Our presence highlighted the critical role of cybersecurity in safeguarding the information of New Jersey’s 1.4 million students across over 600 school districts, emphasizing the value of proactive digital protection measures.
Sessions and Professional Development Credits
Mandated Training Made Easy
The NJSBA Workshop 2023 provided mandated training opportunities each day of the conference, making it easy to fulfill school leader training requirements while experiencing everything the event had to offer.
Earning Professional Development Credits
With over 200 training sessions, it was easier than ever for attendees to earn credits to support their career. Workshop sessions offered NJSBA Board Member Academy credits toward board member certifications, Qualified Purchasing Agent credits for school business administrators, and professional development credits for certified educational facilities managers. Eventgoers split up to attend as many sessions as possible, and to gather ideas to bring back to their district for further exploration.
D2 Cybersecurity contributed to the educational buzz by running a Professional Development session led by our own Brian Lau and Michael Esolda, underscoring “Why Cybersecurity is a Shared Responsibility” in educational ecosystems. They explained how cybersecurity has recently become a critical topic when discussing school district security. From ransomware to identity theft, the discussed how cyberattacks have drastically impacted New Jersey schools and insurance carriers over the past five years. Brian and Michael informed the attendees that protecting a school’s private data requires viewing cybersecurity as more than just an IT problem.
D2 Cybersecurity is a NJSBA Cooperative Pricing System Partner
As a proud partner in the NJSBA Cooperative Pricing System, D2 Cybersecurity offers streamlined access to essential products and services at preferential rates. This program empowers school districts and member charter schools to acquire technology, health & safety products, and other educational resources at a discount. This system, endorsed by the New Jersey Department of Education and crafted in cooperation with the New Jersey Department of Community Affairs (DCA), also simplifies procurement for our clients by allowing them to bypass the competitive bid process.
Click on the links below to learn more about the products and services included in the NJSBA Cooperative Pricing System:
- E-Rate Consulting, Inc.
- NJSBA Innovative K-12 Classroom
- NJSBA Technology & Cybersecurity Solutions
- NJSBA Board Management Software
- Telecommunications and IT Audits
Cybersecurity Solutions Offered Through Carahsoft
Deployed in educational and government institutions throughout the U.S., Carahsoft’s portfolio of cybersecurity solutions provides proven, cost-effective protection for critical networks and digital information. NJSBA has partnered with Carahsoft and its vendors to make this broad range of software, hardware, implementation services, and training at discounted pricing.
Districts and public sector agencies that are members of the Alliance for Competitive Energy Services (ACES) can begin purchasing cybersecurity solutions through the NJSBA TEC program using the NJSBA procurement number #E-8801-NJSBA ACES-CPS at any time. If you are not a member of the Alliance for Competitive Energy Services (ACES) and would like to join the NJSBA Cooperative Pricing System, your district or organization must pass a resolution.
Cybersecurity: The Primary Topic at NJSBA Workshop 2023
In the wake of rising cyber threats, cybersecurity stood out as a paramount concern at Workshop 2023. October was Cybersecurity month, which led to many discussions on how schools could prevent ransomware attacks and how to protect student and school data. D2 Cybersecurity remains at the forefront of these conversations, dedicated to providing solutions that fortify the resilience of educational institutions against cyber threats. Our team provides the following services to help protect school districts:
Cyber Awareness Education
The foundation of cybersecurity is education. With proper interactive training and targeted phishing exercises, your employees will learn how to protect your network and critical information from cyber-attacks. Discover how to empower your team.
Information Security Gap Assessment
An operational audit of your IT infrastructure that identifies cybersecurity exposures by comparing your current operational state against best practices and international standards that minimize risk and impact. Learn more about identifying your vulnerabilities.
Vulnerability Assessment
Identify, quantify, prioritize, and receive suggested remediation steps for any vulnerabilities detected in both the internal and external facing systems on your network. Get up to speed on how to uncover hidden threats.
Penetration Testing
Assess your organization’s current security posture against a simulated cyber-attack. The goal of penetration testing is not to identify and report vulnerabilities, but to understand how malicious actors can exploit them. This prepares you to defend against malware/ransomware compromises in your network. Explore more about testing your defenses.
Business Continuity & Disaster Recovery
Identify and prioritize recovery requirements and strategies for all of the functions that you perform for defined disaster criteria that meets both business and operational objectives. Read more about preparing for the unexpected.
Wrapping Up
The NJSBA Workshop 2023 was a fantastic opportunity for attendees to share knowledge and best practices. The D2 Cybersecurity team enjoyed adding to the discussion by offering our “two cents” on keeping schools safe online. We’re thrilled to keep the conversation going and offer our know-how to help New Jersey schools stay cyber-secure. If you have any questions or want to learn more about our service, contact us today.
