SUCCEEDING @ CYBERSECURITY: THE STUDENT PASSWORD PROJECT www.mantecausd.net/passwords
The Student Password Project is anticipated to expand to all schools in the District come January 2022! The following FAQ is what the Information Technology team would like for you to know:
How will the District implement the Student Password Project? A few school sites have been selected to participate in an “early-adopter” program which refers to testing a new feature with a smaller group of users prior to making it available to all users. This strategy helps the IT team troubleshoot before expanding district wide. These early-adopter schools have already been notified. For all other schools, expect communication in early 2022!
How can I help my child keep their account safe and secure? Great question! We encourage conversations at home about protecting passwords from others and using caution when clicking unknown links. Cyberthieves will pretend to be a familiar sender (school, friend, etc.) in a fake message which contains a link to a phishing website (pronounced: fishing). Phishing is an attack that attempts to steal your money, or your identity, by getting you to reveal personal information.
Does my child have to change his/her password? No. Electing to change a password will be optional, however it is highly encouraged! Your student’s password is the key to unlock their account and files. Changing the password to something unique and enabling the multi-factor authentication feature will help your child’s account to remain safe and secure.
What are some good rules for passwords? When it comes time to change your password, Microsoft 365 (the District’s software service) will have specific password requirements such as the number of characters, special characters, use of numbers, etc. It’s always a good idea to create a strong password (longer passwords are harder to crack) and never share it. Common Sense Media has great tips for password management.
“Cybersecurity is something we take very seriously,” shared Josh Bowers, MUSD Information Technology Analyst. With multiple strategies and tools in place to ensure cloud security and nonstop monitoring to protect student/ employee data and systems, the Information Technology team is implementing yet another strategy to heighten student digital safety: The Student Password Project. “The student password project will allow students to create and self-manage their unique password to their student account,” explained Bowers. “We believe this will only increase individual account and collective systems security.”
The District was the first in the county (and much of the state) to “go digital” in 2014 with a 1:1 device-tostudent ratio. As part of this launch, the IT team has led the charge into cloud technology safeguarding data from internet thieves. As technology continues to advance and threats continue to exist, MUSD’s team of technology professionals continue to adapt and refine processes to keep (digital) safety at the forefront. This new safety implementation will also come with multi-factor authentication which would combine the unique password with second or third “factor” of required authentication to confirm unfamiliar login attempts. In sum, to “prove who you are,” said Josh Bowers. Most online services such as banks, social media, shopping and yes, Microsoft 365 have added this feature for accounts to be more secure.
CYBERSECURITY RESOURCES
» Password Safety Among Teens
» What is: Multifactor Authentication
» Password Safety: Top Ten Tips for Teens
» Protect Yourself from Phishing
» What are some good rules for screen names and passwords?
