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 Multi-State Information Sharing and Analysis Center® (MS-ISAC®) member, 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 [email protected].
As of June 23, 2025, the MS-ISAC has introduced a fee-based membership. Any potential reference to no-cost MS-ISAC services no longer applies.