The Technology Directorate at Federal Student Aid (FSA) has developed two fact sheets to help schools dealing with ransomware threats or school closures. Please review the information below about what is included in each fact sheet and where to find them.
Recently, FSA has identified multiple ransomware attacks that denied access to information technology data and systems unless the institution paid a ransom. Ransomware can have a crippling effect on an institution’s ability to operate until the infection is remediated. More information, including cybersecurity best practices and what to do if your institution falls victim to an attack, is available on FSA’s ransomware fact sheet.
In the event a school closes, FSA’s school closure fact sheet describes best practices, including how to properly inventory institutional records, decommission software and data, correctly sanitize data storage, and properly destroy data. These practices help protect student data.
If you have questions about this announcement, please contact FSASchoolCyberSafety@ed.gov.