White House Announces Rhode Island Will Be the First State in the Nation to Protect Students at K-12 Schools with Key Cybersecurity Tool

Published on Monday, December 09, 2024

PROVIDENCE, RI – Today, White House National Cyber Director Harry Coker, Jr. joined officials from across Rhode Island to announce that every K-12 public school in Rhode Island would be protected by a free, effective cyber service that will better protect the data and systems of their schools by the end of this school year.

64 school districts from across Rhode Island signed a pledge to implement Protective Domain Name Service (PDNS), an important cybersecurity tool that helps prevent ransomware and other cyber attacks by preventing computer systems from connecting to harmful websites and other dangerous areas of the internet. Thanks to funding from the federal government, PDNS services are free to K-12 public school districts and libraries across the nation. Today’s announcement will bring an additional layer of security to approximately 136,000 students across Rhode Island.

Today’s announcement was made alongside school district leaders at the Cybersecurity Education Summit: Preparing Schools for a Digital Future hosted by the Rhode Island Department of Education (RIDE) at Cranston High School East. Director Coker was joined by Governor Daniel McKee, Rhode Island Commissioner of Elementary and Secondary Education Angélica Infante-Green, Congressman Gabe Amo, Former Congressman Jim Langevin and superintendents and administrators from schools across Rhode Island.

“For too long, our schools have been going toe-to-toe with motivated ransomware gangs, sophisticated cyber criminals and well-resourced nation-state actors putting the data and safety of our students and schools at risk. The Biden-Harris Administration has recognized that schools across the nation need help, which is why we are making available free resources to every school and library across the nation,” said White House National Cyber Director Harry Coker, Jr. “Today, Rhode Island is stepping up to lead the way taking advantage of these free federal resources on behalf of every public school district in the state. The partnership at the federal, state and local level exemplify a collaboration committed to keeping students, teachers, administrators and their data safe from evolving cyber threats.”

“According to the U.S. Department of Education, every week, school districts average five cyber incidents,” said Governor Dan McKee. “Rhode Island is making a statewide push for every local education agency to commit to some simple but effective strategies that help protect our data from those threats.”

“In today’s digital age, protecting our schools, students, and educators from cyber threats is a top priority. By investing in robust cybersecurity measures and fostering collaboration with our federal, state, and local partners, we are building a safer and more resilient digital infrastructure that ensures learning can continue without disruption,” said Commissioner Angélica Infante-Green. “We share our gratitude with the Office of the National Cyber Director and celebrate the unity demonstrated through this pledge. Together, we are taking proactive steps to create a secure digital environment that supports teaching and learning while safeguarding the future of our schools.”

“Effective online protection for students in Rhode Island starts with increased collaboration,” said Congressman Gabe Amo. “I am glad state and local officials are working together to make us the first state to partner with the federal government to protect every K-12 public school by the end of this school year. I stand ready to do my part in Congress to continue investing in ways to keep our schools safe from cyber threats, ransomware attacks, and other 21st century risks.”

“As cyber threats become increasingly sophisticated, we must remain vigilant in our efforts to safeguard the digital privacy of our students and educators. By implementing PDNS, Rhode Island school districts are demonstrating a clear commitment to proactive and collaborative security measures,” said former Congressman Jim Langevin, Distinguished Chair of the Institute for Cybersecurity & Emerging Technologies at Rhode Island College. “This partnership underscores the importance of working together—across all levels of government and within our communities—to create a secure and reliable digital environment where students can learn without interruption.”

The Biden-Harris Administration has been committed to helping K-12 schools stay protected from the growing threat of ransomware aimed at school districts. Over a year ago, the White House convened a Summit on K-12 Cybersecurity and the White House Office of the National Cyber Director (ONCD) then launched an initiative to help K-12 school and district administrators understand the resources available to help them combat emerging cyber threats by promoting free resources, lessons learned and insights that will better protect students, teachers and communities from the growing threat of cyber attacks on schools.

While signing up for a PDNS service is a best practice for schools and districts, there are several other necessary steps to protect school data and systems on which students, teachers, staff, and administrators rely. Thankfully, there are federal agencies like the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) who have regional cybersecurity advisors that can help. The Multi-State Information Sharing and Analysis Center (MS-ISAC) also provides resources to help schools improve their cybersecurity plans and mature their defenses. Today’s event featured speakers from CISA, the Department of Education, and Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) as well as state and local government leaders who provided additional insight to administrators.

###