Rhode Island to join federal program for cybersecurity in K-12 schools

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WLNE) — Rhode Island became the first state in the country to partner with the U.S. Federal Government to protect all K-12 public schools by the end of this school year.

Officials hosted a cybersecurity education summit, introducing a free, effective cybersecurity tool to better safeguard school data and systems.

The new tool is called Protective Domain Name Service, or PDNS.

It’s a cybersecurity solution designed to prevent ransomware and other cyberattacks by blocking connections to malicious websites.

This program is funded by the federal government and offered nationwide at no cost to schools and libraries.

On Monday, Rhode Island signed on to implement PDNS, bringing an additional layer of security to approximately 136,000 students statewide.

White House National Cyber Director Harry Coker Jr. joined local officials to announce that every K-12 public school in the state would be protected by this service by the end of the school year.

“It’s designed to limit access to malicious cyber networks and links, and that’s why it’s so important for all of our schools and libraries to implement PDNS to malicious cyber networks and links, and that’s why it’s so important for all of our schools and libraries to implement PDNS,” he said.

According to the U.S. Department of Education, school districts experience an average of five cyber incidents every week.

Just last September, the PPSD school district reported a data breach that compromised student vaccination records, driver’s license numbers, and other sensitive information.

The district also identified files exposing students’ special education status and documents.

The incident highlighted the urgency of enhancing cybersecurity measures.

RIDE Commissioner of Elementary Schools and Secondary Education Angélica Infante-Green spoke about the importance of prevention moving forward:

“What happened in the past is behind us. We’re focused on the future. This new layer of protection will ensure that not just a few districts, but our entire state is better prepared to handle these threats,” she said.

Federal agencies are also providing Rhode Island with other resources and insights to protect students, teachers and families from future cyber attacks, including the availability of regional cybersecurity advisors.

This new partnership is in efforts to create a safer digital future for students, teachers, and staff across all schools in Rhode Island.