During Cybersecurity Awareness Month, schools have an important question to ask: Who has access to your school’s data and do they truly need it?

From student records and staff payroll files to transportation schedules, financial information, and learning platforms, schools manage significant amounts of sensitive data every day. That data is accessed not only by employees, but often by technology vendors, contractors, substitute teachers, volunteers, and third-party service providers.

Cybersecurity is not solely an IT responsibility. It is an organization-wide risk management issue that begins with understanding where data resides, who can access it, and how that access is controlled.

Why Data Access Matters

Every user account, shared folder, cloud application, and outside vendor connection can create another potential entry point for cybercriminals. An unnecessary account, a former employee’s login, or a vendor with excessive permissions can turn a routine security gap into a costly cyber event.

For schools, a data breach can lead to operational disruption, notification expenses, recovery costs, reputational damage, and potential privacy concerns involving students and families. Protecting data access helps reduce the likelihood and severity of these events.

Start With an Access Review

School leaders should periodically review access to critical systems and information. Focus on the people and partners who can view, change, download, or transmit sensitive data.

Consider these key questions:

• Which employees have access to student records, financial systems, payroll, and other sensitive information?
• Do employees have access based on their current job responsibilities?
• Are former employees, temporary staff, substitutes, or contractors promptly removed from systems?
• Which third-party vendors can access school data?
• Have vendor contracts addressed data security, breach notification, and data return or destruction?
• Is multifactor authentication enabled for email, cloud applications, remote access, and administrative accounts?
• Are shared usernames and passwords being used anywhere in the organization?

Follow the Principle of Least Privilege

A strong security practice is known as the principle of least privilege: give each user only the access needed to perform their job.

For example, a staff member who needs to view attendance records may not need the ability to export student data. A vendor supporting one software platform should not have broad access to unrelated systems. Limiting permissions can help contain an incident if an account is compromised.

Access should also be reviewed whenever an employee changes roles, leaves the district, or when a vendor relationship ends.

Don’t Overlook Third-Party Vendors

Schools increasingly depend on outside technology providers for learning management systems, payment platforms, communication tools, transportation services, and more. While these services can improve operations, each relationship may introduce additional cyber risk.

Before sharing sensitive information with a vendor, schools should understand:

• What data the vendor collects, stores, or processes
• Where and how the data is stored
• Who at the vendor can access the data
• Whether the vendor uses subcontractors
• How quickly the vendor will notify the school of a security incident
• How data is returned or securely destroyed when the contract ends

Vendor due diligence is not a one-time exercise. Review critical vendors regularly, especially when systems, services, or data-sharing practices change.

Make Access Management Part of Your Cyber Routine

A practical access-management process does not have to be complicated. Start by assigning ownership, creating a simple user-access review schedule, and documenting the process for onboarding and offboarding employees.

This Cybersecurity Awareness Month, take one meaningful step: identify your school’s most sensitive data and confirm who can access it.

The goal is not to eliminate access. The goal is to make sure access is appropriate, intentional, and protected.

For more cybersecurity resources, please contact an INSURICA Insurance & Risk Management Advisor today.