The Educator Magazine U.K. September - December 2025 issue. - Magazine - Page 32
Overcoming the
challenge of
network security
in schools
By: Gary Newbold, VP Regional Sales, EMEA, RUCKUS Networks
The need for strong and fast Wi-Fi™ in
schools is greater than ever; it supports a
wide range of educational activities and
enables students and teachers to access
digital resources seamlessly. Not only does it
support traditional learning, but it’s swiftly
becoming the backbone of modern
education, transforming lessons through
live video streaming, esports, interactive
media suites, IoT-connected campuses, and
AI-powered tools. However, as important as
Wi-Fi speed and reliability are to the success
of connected learning, the security of the
network and devices connected to it are
even more so. Sadly, while many educators
trust their Wi-Fi security and existing
cybersecurity measures, their confidence
can be misplaced.
Having a heavy reliance on connectivity
makes schools a prime target for
cybercriminals; their databases store vast
amounts of information, including personal
identifiable information and sensitive data
such as health and special education needs
records. Alarmingly, UK government data
revealed that in the past year alone, 71%
of secondary schools, 86% of further
education colleges and 97% of higher
education institutions experienced a
cyber-attack - ranging from attempts to steal
personal data to full-scale system shutdowns.
Balancing the need to protect student data
with the demand for seamless access to
education presents a complex challenge.
To gain deeper insight, we commissioned a
survey of UK school leaders, capturing their
perspectives, concerns and experiences.
Their input helps identify best practices and
areas for improvement in the realm of data
security and educational access.
Schools need to meet specific
security demands
Institutional networks inherently come with
security concerns, as each connection to
the outside world can serve as a potential
entry point for threats. In schools, where
safeguarding the data of minors is both a
priority and a legal obligation, these security
concerns are amplified.
That is perhaps why, when we asked leaders
to think about the challenges and concerns
of their IT networks, over half (56%) pointed
to security and data privacy as their primary
concern. Local authorities aren’t developers,
so naturally, schools rely on third-party
applications to support their staff and
pupils. These tools must integrate into
existing networks - many of which comprise
a mix of modern and legacy systems - and
comply with high-security standards
without compromising access to teaching
and learning.
The consequences of technological
failures are getting more severe
With schools integrating digital resources
into the classroom, technological failures
can have severe consequences. As part of
our research, respondents highlighted
significant concerns related to theadoption
of new solutions, with control over infrastructure (42%) and vendor reliability (38%)
being key concerns. The safety and resilience
of Wi-Fi in schools clearly require a broader
perspective to address these issues
effectively. For example, IoT and AI tools are
now being integrated into classrooms to
connect systems like heating and lighting.
These advancements not only improve
efficiency and sustainability but also offer
additional benefits. Innovations such as
air-quality monitoring can track CO2 levels,
which are directly linked to student
attentiveness and performance.
Despite the opportunities these
innovations bring, the more they are
adopted, the greater reliance the schools
will become on them, and the network they
connect to. That network needs to be reliable
and secure. When a connection is unsecured
it becomes vulnerable to various
cyberattacks, such as man-in-the-middle
(MITM) attacks, where an attacker can
intercept and manipulate communications
between devices. This can lead to
unauthorised access to sensitive
information and disruption of educational
activities. Ensuring robust security
measures for both the network and
connected IoT devices is essential to
protect against these various threats.
AI-driven network management tools
offer advanced security
features
One solution lies in changing how the
network is managed. The same AI
advancements transforming student
learning can also work behind the scenes to
help keep those experiences - and the
business processes that depend on
networking - secure and uninterrupted.
For example, AI-driven networking hardware
can enhance management and optimisation.
These tools offer advanced security features
to protect sensitive data so that teachers can
meet an individual student’s needs while
facilitating compliance with the latest data
protection regulations. Additionally, IT teams
can remotely manage networks and
troubleshoot problems in real time with AI.
The proactive insights and issue detection
that AI provides enhance security by
identifying and blocking potential threats,
thus resolving potential issues before they
can even start to affect students.
But to provide a safe and reliable Wi-Fi
experience in schools, it’s also essential to
adopt best practices that complement the
advanced features offered by AI-driven
network management tools. First, schools
should implement robust authentication
methods, such as certificate-based
authentication. This adds an additional
layer of security over traditional passwords,
helping to ensure that each device
connecting to the Wi-Fi complies with
the school’s security policies.
Additionally, schools should automate the
device onboarding process so that only
authorised devices get access to the school’s
network and to help prevent potential
security breaches. It’s also important to
integrate the Wi-Fi network with
identity management systems, such as
Active Directory or third-party Mobile
Device Management (MDM) solutions.
This enables appropriate policies to be
enforced whenever a device connects to the
network, helping maintain consistent
security standards across the school.
Lastly, offering self-service workflows for
students and staff to quickly and securely
connect their devices to the network can
alleviate administrative burdens and reduce
support issues, freeing IT teams to focus on
more critical security tasks.
Security complacency can have serious
consequences for schools. With schools
relying on a vast array of online resources
and tools for teaching and learning,
now is the time to evaluate your security
measures and identify potential
vulnerabilities - especially within your Wi-Fi
network. Don’t wait for a data breach or
network outage to recognise the importance
of robust Wi-Fi security.
