Episode 163: K-12 Cybersecurity Made Practical

In Episode 163 of Cybersecurity Where You Are, Sean Atkinson and Tony Sager sit down with Brock Boggs, Director of Technology at Cityscape Schools, and Maureen Kunac, Senior Product Manager at the Center for Internet Security® (CIS®). They dive into the realities and challenges of K-12 cybersecurity, including limited budgets, small teams, and growing threats.

Brock shares how a ransomware incident at a neighboring school district and new state requirements pushed his district to take K-12 cybersecurity more seriously. He explains how CIS SecureSuite® tools gave him a clear starting point and helped him transform panic into progress. Maureen highlights how CIS continues to adapt its cybersecurity solutions for K-12 schools and why simplicity matters when resources are tight.

Here are some highlights from our episode:

• 00:47. Introductions to Brock and Maureen
• 02:50. What prompted Cityscape Schools to prioritize cybersecurity and how Brock found CIS
• 11:50. The importance of simplicity in making K-12 cybersecurity practical
• 12:39. A collaborative journey of helping Brock get comfortable learning about cybersecurity
• 22:52. A look back at Cityscape Schools pivoted to remote education during COVID-19
• 34:20. Brock's advice for other school districts to get started with a cybersecurity program

Resources

• Formalizing K-12 Cybersecurity Policies in Less Time
• How to Plan a Cybersecurity Roadmap in 4 Steps
• 2025 K-12 State of Cybersecurity Report: Where Education Meets Community Resilience
• Episode 142: SLTTs and Their Nuanced Cybersecurity Needs
• 25 Years of Creating Confidence in the Connected World

If you have some feedback or an idea for an upcoming episode of Cybersecurity Where You Are, let us know by emailing [e-mail].