Exciting news for all UK schools and education service providers! The UK government is now offering a range of free website security services to enhance cybersecurity in educational settings.

The National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) announced on October 15th the extension of its Protective Domain Name System (PDNS) for Schools to more educational institutions across the country. This includes multi-academy trusts, academies, independent schools, and school internet service providers.

Initially launched in 2017 and recently renewed until April 2024 with new partners Cloudflare and Accenture, the PDNS for Schools program provides free services to block access to malicious websites and restrict access to domains known for hosting malware, ransomware, and spyware.

Cybersecurity Concerns in the Education Sector

The need for improved cybersecurity measures in schools has been highlighted by data from the UK’s Office of Qualifications and Examinations Regulation (Ofqual), revealing that over a third of schools and colleges in England encountered a cyber incident in the last academic year.

According to Spencer Starkey, VP of EMEA at SonicWall, the 2024 Global Threat Report identified a significant rise in cryptojacking (up 84398%) and IoT malware attacks (up 3713%) targeting the UK education sector in the past year. However, there has been a decrease in overall malware attacks by 16% and ransomware attacks by 77% during the same period.

Sarah Lyons, NCSC deputy director for economy and society, emphasized the importance of strengthening cyber resilience in schools. She urged all educational organizations to take advantage of the free PDNS for Schools services to ensure a safer digital environment for students and staff.

Educational institutions in the UK can register for ‘PDNS for Schools’ by asking their DNS provider to sign up through MyNCSC.