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The Critical Value of Cybersecurity in Today’s Digital Landscape

In the digital age, the importance of cybersecurity cannot be understated. As businesses and organisations increasingly depend on technological solutions for their operations, they open themselves up to a growing array of cyber threats. Despite this, a staggering 66% of small businesses express concern over cybersecurity risks, with 47% admitting a lack of knowledge in safeguarding themselves. This gap in understanding leaves them exposed to the potentially devastating costs of cyber attacks.

Illustrating the tangible benefits of cybersecurity initiatives to those in charge of financial decisions poses its own set of challenges. While the necessity for protective measures is obvious, leaders demand solid evidence to justify the expenditure. This piece delves into strategies to effectively demonstrate the real-world benefits of cybersecurity investments, offering insights into how such measures not only safeguard but also add value to your organisation.

Demonstrating the Financial Benefits of Cybersecurity

Why is it so difficult to showcase the financial gains from cybersecurity investments? Unlike direct assets that generate revenue, the advantages of cybersecurity are often indirect and preventive. Investing in strong cybersecurity measures is similar to buying an insurance policy—it’s about risk mitigation rather than immediate financial gain. The hypothetical nature of potential costs, dependent on the effectiveness of current cybersecurity measures, makes it hard to quantify their monetary value. Moreover, the success of these measures is frequently gauged by incidents that fail to occur, complicating the attribution of a clear financial benefit and leaving companies searching for metrics that can accurately convey their economic impact.

Here are some approaches to convey the tangible value of cybersecurity initiatives:

1. Evaluating Risk Reduction

Demonstrating the value of cybersecurity can be effectively achieved by showcasing risk reduction. Organisations can use historical data and threat intelligence to provide solid proof of how their cybersecurity efforts have decreased the likelihood and impact of potential threats.

2. Analysing Response Times to Incidents

Minimising damage from cyber incidents hinges on quick response times. Illustrating reductions in incident response time can highlight the efficiency of cybersecurity measures. Estimating the cost of downtime and showing how quicker responses can save money underscores the value of these investments. According to Pingdom, the average downtime cost is up to $427 per minute for small businesses and up to $16,000 per minute for larger enterprises.

3. Conducting Financial Impact Assessments

The financial ramifications of cybersecurity incidents are significant. By performing a detailed financial impact analysis, organisations can identify the savings made possible by cybersecurity measures, taking into account downtime, data breaches, legal repercussions, and damage to reputation.

4. Tracking Compliance

Adherence to regulatory requirements demonstrates a commitment to data protection and cybersecurity. By monitoring and reporting compliance metrics, organisations can further prove the worth of their cybersecurity initiatives.

5. Assessing Training Programme Effectiveness

Given that human error is a major vulnerability in cybersecurity, evaluating the effectiveness of employee training programmes is vital. This shows how prepared the workforce is to identify and react to threats, directly bolstering the company’s cyber defences.

6. Measuring User Awareness

Beyond training effectiveness, user awareness metrics offer insights into employees’ understanding and compliance with cybersecurity policies, including reporting phishing attempts and following security protocols.

7. Demonstrating Technology ROI

The return on investment from cybersecurity technology, measured through metrics such as the number of threats blocked, can significantly highlight the value of cybersecurity measures.

8. Monitoring Data Protection

For those handling sensitive data, metrics on data breaches prevented, data loss incidents, and the success of encryption are crucial in demonstrating cybersecurity effectiveness.

9. Managing Vendor Risk

With many organisations depending on third-party vendors, metrics on vendor risk management, including security assessments and improvements, are key in showcasing a comprehensive cybersecurity strategy.

Book Your Cybersecurity Evaluation

Understanding the value and state of your cybersecurity measures begins with a thorough assessment. Gaining this knowledge is a crucial step in building a culture of security and resilience within your organisation.

Contact us today to arrange a discussion about your cybersecurity.

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Research in the Use of VR Learning

This ClassVR report provides a great insight into the advantages of using Virtual Reality in the  classroom for enhanced learning. 

Studies Virtual reality tools have proven to be more than just novel visual aids for education – they are powerful learning tools. Research shows that retention rates rise when students or trainees use virtual reality to immerse themselves in a lesson or scenario. In Dragani’s (2019) investigations into why virtual learning works, she found that a University of Maryland study showed median recall accuracy rates with VR headsets hit 90 percent compared to 78 percent for learning with desktop computers. She also explains how, in Beijing, students whose lessons were supplemented with VR averaged scores of 93 on a final exam, a 20-percentage point increase from those who relied on traditional classroom learning.

RESEARCH IN THE USE OF VIRTUAL REALITY LEARNING

This document has been written to explore research into the use of virtual & augmented reality within the sphere of learning. It collates research from a range of sources, studies & organisations to substantiate how & why VR learning can be used to enhance and improve outcomes for learners.

Download Paper

Further to this, from Edgar Dale’s cone of learning theory, we know when students experience something – whether a simulation or the real thing – their ability to retain, reproduce and apply this learning is greatly improved. Indeed, if learners are immersed within a context, a situation or given an augmented experience to hold and manipulate, Dale’s theory would suggest that their recall, application and indeed even information creation can be scaffolded and supported, leading to schematic connections being developed easier and with more long-lasting results.

Learn more about ClassVR

Read More

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Verkada Intercom for Enhanced Security

As a school ICT manager in Australia, your top priority is to ensure the security and safety of your school campus. One effective way to do this is by using a video intercom system that allows you to easily identify visitors and control access to the school.

Verkada’s cloud-managed video intercom system is a great option to consider for your school. It offers many benefits, including enhanced security, clear audio and sharp video, flexible deployment options, and easy management and call routing.

One of the standout features of Verkada’s video intercom system is its clear audio and sharp video quality. You can easily see and hear who is outside the school entrance, allowing you to make informed decisions about granting or denying entry.

In addition, Verkada’s video intercom system is highly flexible and can be customized to suit your school’s unique needs. You can easily deploy any combination of video intercoms, receivers, and call routing configurations to take calls from anywhere.

Another advantage of Verkada’s video intercom system is its effortless deployment. The PoE intercom comes online and is fully operational in just a few minutes, without the need for complex configurations.

Verkada’s video intercom system also includes integrated context cameras and door access control, which can help improve entrance security and make it easier to manage access to your school.

One of the most convenient features of Verkada’s video intercom system is its ability to adapt to your organization’s workflows and requirements. You can choose from flexible receiver options and smart call routing to ensure that calls are directed to the right person or device.

Verkada’s video intercom system also simplifies enterprise video intercom systems by providing intuitive, cloud-based management tools. You can easily add new receivers, configure call routing logic, or check incoming calls from any browser, right in Verkada Command.

Overall, Verkada’s video intercom system is an excellent choice for any school looking to enhance its security and control access to its campus. With its clear audio and sharp video, flexible deployment options, and easy management tools, Verkada’s video intercom system is an unmatched solution that will help keep your school safe and secure.

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Hybrid Cloud Video Security with Verkada

Verkada’s line of hybrid cloud security cameras combine powerful edge–based processing with the limitless capabilities of cloud computing. With Verkada’s hybrid cloud architecture, cameras analyse events in real–time, while simultaneously leveraging Verkada’s industry–leading computer vision technology for instantaneous insights that bring speed and efficiency to incident investigation.

Verkada’s centralised web–based platform, Command, allows users can find the footage they need in seconds. With features like Motion Detection, People Analytics and Vehicle Analytics, teams can quickly search across their organisation to find relevant footage, eliminating the need to scrub through incidents manually.

All cameras have built–in onboard storage, including extended storage options with up to 365 days of continuous recording in standard quality. With Verkada, organizations no longer need to worry about managing and maintaining devices like NVRs. Verkada cameras can self–manage, process and safely store footage locally on each device, while cloud–based archiving allows organisations to save and share as much footage as needed.

Available in a wide range of form factors, including indoor and outdoor models, Verkada security cameras work out–of– the–box without any additional downloads or configurations. Users can access events and associated footage from virtually anywhere and from any device. Most importantly, without needing to open port forwards or setup VPNs, all Verkada traffic is automatically protected with data encrypted in–transit (AES–128) and at–rest (AES–256). 

Learn more by downloading the Verkada – Security at Scale document.

Verkada - Simplified School Security

Verkada, trusted by over 15,000 organizations, offers a comprehensive solution to enhance security in schools. The company’s hardware and software system blends cutting-edge technology with an effortless platform to safeguard both students and staff. With Verkada, schools can ensure the protection of people, assets, and privacy on a large scale through a single, cloud-based software.

Learn More >>>
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Protecting documents in Microsoft 365 Business Premium with sensitivity labels

Assigning sensitivity labels to documents is an excellent way to protect specific private documents. In a school setting this could be rolled out for a specific year group,  welfare or wellbeing team or to specific roles such as School Counsellor.
 

Apply labels to organisational documents without hindering productivity and collaboration while staying within your organisation’s working space. The tutorial video gives a good insight, for further information check out the Microsoft help doc – Learn about sensitivity labels.

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Ed-Tech Wrap: 15 Sept 2022

Here is the latest, in our series of posts, wrapping up the latest in Ed-tech news.

Check out some industry news, articles and resources that caught our attention; compiled from around the web by the Curiositi Team.

Gamified Learning: Integrating Tech into the Classroom

“One answer to how teachers integrate technology in the classroom is indeed through games. Using technology to incorporate in-classroom learning games can help teachers reach students who seem bored or uninterested, and students love the challenge of a game.”

Read more on vivi.io >>>

LAUSD Ransomware Attack: A Wake-Up Call for Policymakers?

“Hundreds of K–12 school districts have publicly disclosed ransomware attacks since 2016.That’s likely just the tip of the iceberg, too, cybersecurity expert say; most states do not require public schools to disclose cyberattacks, let alone the ransomware incidents.

…

Ransomware — which typically cripples targets’ digital systems — has taken over as the most common type of cyberattack disclosed by public schools, K12SIX said in its State of K–12 Cybersecurity Year in Review report released in March… [the] K–12 Incident Map has documented over 1,300 publicly disclosed cyberattacks against U.S. school districts since 2016, scores of which used ransomware.”

Read More on The Journal >>>

Research Q&A: Active breaks to improve focus and learning

“For brain functioning, the results showed that … children who did complex active breaks required less brain activity to achieve the same level of performance in a test measuring executive functions… You can think of this as if a car covered a similar distance while using less fuel.”

Read more at Teacher Magazine >>> 

Apple Education Community

Apple, last month, launched a learning hub for educators – The Apple Education Community, designed for educators who use Apple technology.

Apple Education Community >>>

FlexClip: Free Online Screen Recorder

STEM ED Classroom Resources 

Reading Progress in Microsoft Teams

Kramer Via Connect: 4K Wireless + Wired Presentation and Collaboration Platform

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Ed-Tech Wrap: 21 June 2022

Here is the first, in our series of posts, wrapping up the latest in Ed-tech news.

Check out some industry news, articles and resources that caught our attention; compiled from around the web by the Curiositi Team.

The 20 Most Influential PCs of the Past 40 Years

We loved this walk down memory lane, highlighting these classic PCs of the past by PC Mag. It really shows the way function and form have evolved over the years. Some things have aged as well as leg warmers and perms; but there was definitely some retro-cool. What was your favourite? 

Read more on PC Mag >>>

Why 1:1 Device Access Unlocks the Most Powerful Kinds of Learning

14 June 2022

Sherborne House School reflecting on  the importance of individual devices to students.

‘Once children have the fluidity of access to a device that they can think of as their own, this opens up all kinds of creative opportunities to enhance teaching and learning purposefully.’

Read more on ED Tech UK >>>

Aussie edtech Company Launches Ambitious Hybrid Teaching and Learning Build

16 June 2022

“Edrolo’s authoring process is unique, and differs from traditional publishers, in that everything is created in-house. We have in-house subject-specialist teams of 5-10 people who work full-time, all year, to research, author and quality assure the resources.”

Read More on Educator Australia >>>

How to Transform A PPT Presentation Into an Online Course

– via EdTechReview

Read more >>>

What Matters Most Now: Lesson Three – Authenticity

-via Innovative Education in VT

Read more >>>

Human Rights Watch Raises edtech Data Privacy Concerns

– via ED Tech UK

Read more >>>

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LINKPlanner – Design Networks with Cambium

You can simply and easily design networks for optimal deployment and cost effectiveness with Cambium Network’s LINKPlanner.

You are able to model “what if” scenarios for fixed wireless tech – based on distance, geography, equipment, transmission power, and other factors – optimising performance of the system before purchase. 

As well as PMP and ePMP technologies, the latest version works with cnWave 28 GHz, cnWave 60 GHz, and cnReach.

Download Data Sheet
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Concern as Vaping Rates Double in One Year

A key issue with vaping in schools is the appeal of various flavours and colours, and the assumption that that vaping is safe, or at least safer than cigarettes.

Just like regular cigarettes when they first become commonplace, there are many unknowns about the long term health risks, even though some short term health-risks are being identified. Problems can include issues with blood pressure, the cardiovascular system, lung functioning and heart rate.

Unlike smoking rates which have been in decline in recent years, vaping rates are climbing- with the number of teenagers using e-cigarettes doubling in just one year, according to the NSW Secondary Principals’ Council. 

Recent data from the NSW Population Health Survey found that 11.1% of 16 to 24-year-olds are regular ‘vape’ users, against 4.5% the year prior, making it the biggest vaping increase across all age groups. Out of the 16-24 age group, young males vape the most with 12.3% against 9.8% for young women.

via Education Review Tweet

Our Solution

While any solution needs to be multi-tiered, many schools have been turning to FlySense – a network connected vape sensor designed to detect the vaping and provide realtime alerts.

Combined with education, the vape detection provides a strong solution to an increasing problem.

Resources

Here are some resources that we have put together around vaping in schools.