The FCC will allocate 200 million dollars to safeguard schools and libraries from hackers.
Schools and communities have become targets of ransomware attacks.
The Federal Communications Commission is making up to $200 million available to improve cybersecurity in schools and libraries. This funding is part of a pilot program called the Cybersecurity Pilot Program for Schools and Libraries, which aims to assess the feasibility of permanently funding such initiatives.
The funding will come from a pool known as the Universal Service Fund (USF), which is financed by contributions from telecommunications companies. Institutions participating in this program will be able to reimburse expenses related to advanced security technologies, such as firewalls, identity protection services and authentication, malware protection, and virtual private networks (VPNs).
This pilot program will be available to those schools and libraries that are eligible for the FCC's E-rate program, another USF initiative aimed at providing affordable internet access. The agency plans to open the application process this fall and will select a variety of schools, considering both their size and location (rural or urban). Additionally, projects from low-income applicants and tribal communities will be prioritized.
This funding could be crucial in the fight against cyberattacks that have affected both schools and local governments in recent years. According to K12 Security Information eXchange (K12 SIX), a nonprofit organization dedicated to protecting schools from cyber threats, more than 1,600 cybersecurity incidents were identified in public schools and K-12 districts between 2016 and 2022.