7 Top Security Issues In Cloud Computing Security For K-12 Schools

by Katie Fritchen on July 3, 2019

Moving to the cloud isn’t just a trend — it’s a requirement for any school looking to modernize, build greater collaboration, boost productivity, and facilitate scalability. K-12 has moved to cloud computing—in Google Workspace, Microsoft 365, and thousands of other cloud-based service providers—in droves over the past 5 years. However, moving to the cloud presents new opportunities for security issues, whether due to a cyber threat, cyberattack, or human error.

Security issues in cloud computing security are similar to what you may have encountered with in-network and on-prem computing. However, to prevent and remediate these issues, they must be managed differently.

Here are the seven top cloud security issues in cloud computing security, and how your district can work to mitigate them.

1. Limited visibility

Limited visibility refers to the difficulty IT administrators face in monitoring and controlling all aspects of the cloud environment and cloud services. When data and applications are hosted off-premises, it becomes challenging to track user activities, data access, and potential cloud security threats. This lack of oversight can lead to unnoticed vulnerabilities and unauthorized access or insecure cloud storage to sensitive student and staff information.

To mitigate limited visibility, K-12 schools can implement a cloud security solution that provides comprehensive insights into their cloud infrastructure. These tools enable administrators to track user behavior, set security controls, and receive alerts on suspicious activities. Additionally, schools can maintain oversight by establishing clear policies for cloud usage and conducting regular audits.

2. Cyberattacks

Cyberattacks are malicious attempts to exploit vulnerabilities in a school’s cloud systems to gain unauthorized access or insecure cloud storage, steal data, or disrupt services. These attacks can take various forms, such as phishing emails, malware infections, or ransomware incidents. Schools are among the most targeted industries, globally because they hold valuable personal data and may lack advanced cloud security measures.

To mitigate these cloud security risks, schools should implement a comprehensive cloud security strategy that combines technological defenses with user education. This includes considering deploying firewalls, antivirus software, and intrusion detection systems to help safeguard the cloud infrastructure from external threats.

Plus, schools can further fortify their cloud network and cloud service provider against cyberattacks through:

Regular software updates and timely application of security patches and data encryption.
Educating staff and students on cloud security best practices.
Partnering with reputable cloud security providers.

3. Insider threats

Insider threats stem from individuals within the school community — staff, students, or contractors — who have authorized access to cloud systems. These threats can be intentional, such as a disgruntled employee misusing data, or unintentional, like a well-meaning teacher inadvertently exposing sensitive information. Because these individuals already have legitimate access, their actions can bypass traditional cloud security measures and therefore make detection and prevention more complex.

To help mitigate insider threats and security incidents, schools can implement strict security controls and access controls following the principle of least privilege, ensuring users only have the permissions necessary for their roles — and no more. Additionally, schools can help identify unusual behavior patterns early on by using next-generation cloud monitoring software to regularly monitor and audit user activities.

Beyond these insider threat mitigation strategies, all schools should rely on user education. In practice, this means conducting regular training sessions to teach staff and students about:

Data security best practices
How to recognize and report suspicious activities
The correct procedures for handling and sharing sensitive information

4. Account hijacking

Account hijacking occurs when unauthorized individuals gain access to legitimate user accounts, enabling them to operate within the cloud environment and cloud services as trusted users. In a school context, this can lead to several outcomes, from unauthorized access or insecure cloud storage to confidential student records and alteration of grades to the distribution of malicious content.

To combat account hijacking and public cloud security issues, schools should:

Enforce robust authentication protocols, including multi-factor authentication (MFA)
Encourage the use of strong, unique passwords and regular password updates
Educate staff and students on how to identify phishing attempts and the importance of not sharing login information

Additionally, monitoring account activities for unusual behavior — such as logins from unfamiliar devices or locations — can help schools promptly detect and respond to unauthorized access or insecure cloud storage. With Cloud Monitor from ManagedMethods, for example, IT personnel can easily detect and remediate unusual account activities using customizable policies.

5. Misconfiguration

Misconfiguration in cloud computing security refers to the improper setup of cloud resources, which can inadvertently expose sensitive data and systems to unauthorized access or insecure cloud storage. In K-12 schools, this can lead to student records, personal information, and internal communications becoming accessible to the public or malicious actors.

To mitigate cloud misconfiguration risks, districts commonly opt for automated monitoring tools that enforce security policies. These tools continuously monitor the cloud environment and cloud services for deviations from established security baselines and automatically correct misconfigurations as they are detected.

Additionally, schools can promptly identify and rectify misconfigurations by conducting periodic reviews, ensuring that security controls and access controls, data encryption, and network settings adhere to best practices.

6. Insecure APIs

Insecure Application Programming Interfaces (APIs) refer to vulnerabilities within the interfaces and protocols used to interact with cloud services. In K-12 schools, APIs are often employed to integrate educational software with cloud platforms. If these APIs are not properly secured, they can become gateways for unauthorized access or insecure cloud storage, data breaches, and manipulation of sensitive information.

To mitigate the risks posed by insecure APIs and cloud security challenges, schools should enforce strict authentication and authorization protocols for all API interactions, ensuring that only verified applications and users can access sensitive data. Additionally, school IT personnel can identify and remediate vulnerabilities within APIs before they are exploited by regularly conducting security assessments and implementing input validation.

7. Third-party app vulnerabilities

Third-party applications integrated into a school’s cloud environment and cloud services can introduce cloud security risks if they contain vulnerabilities. While these apps often enhance educational capabilities, they may not adhere to the same security standards as the school’s systems. A compromised third-party app can serve as a conduit for cyberattacks, jeopardizing student data and overall network security.

Mitigating third-party app cloud security risks largely depends on a stringent vetting process before adoption. This involves thoroughly reviewing the application’s security practices, including how it handles data encryption, authentication, and compliance with relevant regulations. Plus, limiting the app’s permissions to the minimum necessary reduces potential exposure — granting access only to specific data or functions it requires.

Once your school adopts a third-party application, you can then rely on specialized monitoring software to ensure continuous oversight of the app’s activities, detect any unauthorized access, insecure cloud storage, or unusual behavior, and automatically enforce security policies to mitigate potential risks.

Take monitoring Microsoft 365 activity, for example. Using Cloud Monitor by ManagedMethods, your school can automatically scan all third-party applications and cloud apps connected to your Microsoft 365 accounts, assign risk scores based on factors like required permissions and write access, and set up automated policies to block or remove high-risk apps. This continuous monitoring allows you to detect unauthorized access and unusual app behavior in real time, ensuring your student and staff data remain secure.

Fortify your district’s cloud security with ManagedMethods

Fortifying your district’s cloud environment doesn’t have to be costly and overwhelming. Schools are often faced with the twofold challenge of combating network compromisation and cloud misconfiguration and, in doing so, working to ensure that all fortification efforts are within budget.

With the use of ManagedMethods’ suite of cloud security software and cloud infrastructure, K-12 schools can effectively monitor their network without the need for extensive resources or specialized cybersecurity expertise.

Content Filter is an advanced, cloud-based software that’s easy to deploy, offering granular, policy-based, real-time monitoring and cloud resource management of network and user behavior. Using Content Filter, K-12 school districts can customize their policies to align with their specific preferences.
Cloud Monitor provides real-time, API-based cloud security scanning and compliance monitoring tailored for Google Workspace and Microsoft 365 environments in K-12 schools. It ensures robust data protection and proactive threat detection without the need for complex configurations or additional hardware.
Coming soon, ManagedMethods’ Classroom Manager empowers teachers with real-time monitoring and cloud resource management, customizable content access, and centralized digital student management — all without requiring specialized training.