WRENTHAM — Superintendent Richard Drolet is pleased to announce that King Philip Regional School District has been named a recipient of a 2024 Municipal Cybersecurity Awareness Training Grant.
The Municipal Cybersecurity Awareness Training Grant Program, offered by the state Executive Office of Technology Services & Security (EOTSS) and its Office of Municipal and School Technology, supports the efforts of municipalities and school districts to improve overall cybersecurity.
Awards were announced on Thursday, Jan. 25.
According to a press release from the EOTSS, participants begin their training with an initial cyber strength assessment to measure baseline cybersecurity awareness. Following the assessments, periodic assessments consisting of training modules and simulated phishing email campaigns help participants build good cyber hygiene habits to increase their awareness of deceptive techniques used by bad actors to gain unauthorized access to government systems. At the end of the program, participants complete a final cyber strength assessment to measure their progress.
According to recent reports (2023 Verizon Data Breach Investigation Report), 74% of all cybersecurity breaches include the human element, with people being involved either via error, privilege misuse, social engineering or use of stolen credentials.
As noted on the EOTSS website, cybersecurity awareness training will help ensure employees know the latest techniques cyber criminals are using, how to identify phishing emails, and keep organizations safe from cyber attacks.
Superintendent Drolet commented, “I’m pleased that our Director of Technology, Michael Bois, took the lead in applying for this grant. It will help our staff continue to navigate their use of technology and digital learning in the future.”
Director of Technology Bois added, “We are grateful for the State’s efforts in creating this program. User awareness training is very important. This training should provide our staff with the tools they need to recognize and avoid threats, not only in their professional, but in their personal lives as well.”
For more on the Municipal Cybersecurity Awareness Training Grant Program, visit https://www.mass.gov/municipal-cybersecurity-awareness-grant-program.
###