Connect confidently with an integrated security experience from Spectrum Enterprise

For cybercriminals, finding vulnerabilities in network infrastructure is second nature. With widespread internet access, mobile devices, online learning and smart classroom tools in K-12 education, hackers have many ways to gain access to critical systems. And now, with studies showing that cybercrime in K-12 education results in the theft of millions of taxpayer dollars every year, being proactive has never been more critical.¹

To protect their networks and critical data, many K-12 schools and districts are working to stay ahead of new risks by investing in cybersecurity solutions. Even so, IT leaders are finding it difficult to manage the volume and complexity of security alerts. It has now reached a point where 42 percent of security professionals say their organization ignores a significant number of alerts because they are simply unable to keep up.²

At Spectrum Enterprise™, we can help you face the current threat landscape confidently by providing much more than just traditional cybersecurity measures for your school or district. With our expertise and the strength of our network, we can deliver deeply coordinated protection with sophisticated solutions built to reduce administrative effort and an approach to security that extends from our network core — all the way to your organization.

42% of security professionals say their organization ignores a significant number of alerts because they are simply unable to keep up.³

The power of an integrated security experience

When exploring new ways to help your school or district stay ahead of cyber threats, it’s important to keep in mind that it takes more than just the right solutions to deliver complete protection. To connect with confidence, you want security measures that are integrated with your internet and network connectivity. As your gateway to the public internet, internet service providers (ISPs) are in an excellent position to make a broader impact on your IT security design.

There are many advantages that come with partnering with Spectrum Enterprise — one of the nation’s largest ISPs and a top E-rate service provider — for a more holistic approach to networking and security.

A network built for protection

Security in today’s environment starts with having a solid foundation. At Spectrum Enterprise, we have experience maintaining a strong, safe backbone and a world-class network operations center (NOC) to support our clients’ needs from our core to the edge of their network. We ensure vulnerable ports are blocked when deploying internet services for schools and districts and use sophisticated intelligence at the heart of our network to scan, capture and remove large-scale attacks by removing suspect traffic.

Expertise that ensures performance

With reports showing that 40 percent of new malware attacks are classified as zero-day, it can be difficult for security professionals to mitigate threats in a timely fashion.⁴ To increase efficiency, IT leaders need to know which solutions and processes are most effective. We assist by partnering with major security leaders, such as Fortinet and Netscout, to review, verify and apply measures proven to keep your internet service and network secure.

Solutions tailored to the demands of your school or district

Every school or district has different needs. That’s why we start our process by evaluating your current infrastructure and applications to design the network topology most appropriate for your organization. This can include private Ethernet connections, Ethernet-based Cloud Connect for direct, private access to key cloud service providers, hybrid networks and even segregated WiFi to protect your private traffic with service set identifiers (SSIDs) and personal area networks (PANs).

Multilevel security — from packet level to network traffic

In many cases, organizations need more than just traditional LAN-side protection for peace of mind. More cybercriminals are using volumetric distributed denial of service (DDoS) attacks combined with application layer attacks to overwhelm specific targets and cause complete infrastructure collapse. We can help you avoid these costly disruptions with our DDoS Protection service, by IP address blocking and by integrating with your network for faster threat identification and mitigation.

The flexibility to fine-tune your threat protection

As security demands change, you need the ability to adjust your strategies quickly and seamlessly. At Spectrum Enterprise, we have your security needs covered by providing a range of additional solutions including perimeter-based protection, firewalls with built-in VPN access, next-generation firewalls with advanced security services and support for integration with client authentication sources. And with all these services fully managed by our IT experts, you never have to worry about whether you have the latest updates installed as our network engineers and support teams handle it for you.

A unified security approach integrated with your internet and network connectivity can help you eliminate vulnerabilities and expedite the resolution of issues. And with today’s expanded attack surface, it’s essential to have a partner that can remove the complexities of protecting your traffic and data. That’s why we provide solutions capable of addressing your organization’s unique security threats while giving you confidence in your infrastructure — no matter how you connect.

Sophisticated solutions to optimize your IT security

The increase in cloud services, mobile connectivity and IoT devices is a major reason why protecting today’s campuses has become so challenging. While the intelligence built in to our network core can help by capturing and removing many large-scale cyberattacks, you can still be open to vulnerabilities based on your specific infrastructure. We can identify the strategies and solutions that would be most effective in protecting your organization’s attack surface, and help you understand the role they play in keeping your network safe.

Ethernet: Meet ever-growing data needs by connecting locations with a fast, reliable wide area network (WAN) solution backed by performance guarantees and built on a dedicated fiber infrastructure. Bandwidth up to 100 Gbps is available.

Cloud Connect: Extend your network with fast, secure and dependable private cloud connections to cloud service providers.

Managed Network Edge: Simplify the deployment and management of your network with this modular, all-in-one solution. Delivered over the Cisco Meraki platform, Managed Network Edge offers security, routing, SD-WAN, WiFi, switching, cameras and the ability to work from anywhere there is an internet connection. Achieve flexibility and scalability with connectivity, equipment and network management from a single partner. 

Enterprise Network Edge: Improve the network experience for your teams when scalability, performance and flexibility are paramount to your business. Powered by Fortinet, the solution simplifies IT operations by providing SD-WAN and security in a multi-cloud-ready platform that brings together connectivity, equipment and network management to support both hybrid networks and workforces.

Managed WiFi: Deliver reliable wireless access for students, visitors and staff with an end-to-end solution that requires user authentication to access the WiFi network and unique SSIDs for employees and visitors.

DoS Protection: Protect your network against disruptive DDoS attacks with seamless, integrated threat detection and mitigation capabilities that adapt to your traffic using advanced analytics. Our cloud-based service provides fast resolution to keep your legitimate traffic flowing smoothly and detailed incident reporting for valuable insight that can be used for network planning.

All of our services include design, installation, hardware and ongoing maintenance and support available 24/7/365. It’s all part of the way we deliver a comprehensive security experience — and a more optimized approach to protecting your network.

Count on us to help you keep student data safe

Protecting your school or district from cybersecurity threats has never been more important. Changes in technology are creating new network vulnerabilities and exploits, while opportunistic hackers are intensifying their efforts to take advantage of challenging situations. To stay ahead of risks and move your institution forward confidently, you need to consider all aspects of your security strategy. By working with an ISP with a private, high-performing fiber network, you can ensure consistent protection is built into your connectivity at every level.

With Spectrum Enterprise, you can get the level of protection you need with a single digital security experience that starts at our network core and extends all the way to the solutions you use to keep your data safe. And with our network design expertise, we can help you set up the infrastructure to connect your organization securely, and provide the fine-tuned security solutions you need to protect your network traffic and data.

Managed services are E-rate eligible

Managed internal broadband services (MIBS) are E-rate eligible in Category 2. The FCC defined MIBS as “services provided by a third party for the operation, management and monitoring of eligible broadband internal connections.” Eligible expenses include the installation, activation and configuration of eligible components — as well as on-site training on their use.⁵

Talk with one of our IT security experts to learn more about how we can help you stay connected confidently when it matters most.

Learn more at http://enterprise.spectrum.com/K12ed.

1. “K-12 Cybersecurity 2019 Year in Review,” 2019, The K-12 Cybersecurity Resource Center, https://k12cybersecure.com/year-in-review/2019-incidents/.
2. “Advanced Threats: Keeping CISOs on Their Toes,” Fortinet, September 21, 2019, https://www.fortinet.com/content/dam/fortinet/assets/white-papers/wp-advanced-threats-keeping-cisos-on-their-toes.pdf.
3. Ibid.
4. Ibid.
5. “Modernizing the E-rate program for schools and libraries,” FCC, 2019, https://docs.fcc.gov/public/attachments/DA-19-1249A1.pdf.