Recommended Free Tools
iTechGuides is reader-supported. When you buy through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Learn more
Schools should prepare for cyber incidents before they happen: assign response roles, practice an incident and communications plan, and keep recoverable backups separate from everyday systems. If ransomware is suspected, the priority is to contain the incident, coordinate technical and communications decisions, and restore services only from systems that have been checked for safety. A disruption to school systems does not by itself prove that student data was stolen.
What a cyber incident can mean for a school
School systems hold information about students and staff, and they support everyday operations such as instruction and remote learning. A cyber incident can therefore affect both availability—whether people can use systems—and confidentiality—whether information has been accessed or taken.
CISA describes malicious activity that has slowed or prevented access to basic school functions, including remote learning. It also notes instances in which ransomware actors stole confidential student data and threatened to disclose it, as well as disruptive incidents in remote-learning videoconferences. These are documented threat patterns, not evidence that every school is currently under attack or that every disruption involves data theft. CISA’s K-12 resources and its page on cyber threats to K-12 remote learning describe these risks.
A February 29, 2024 joint CISA, FBI, and MS-ISAC notice about Phobos ransomware identified education among several sectors its actors have targeted. The notice does not provide a count of school incidents, so it should not be used to estimate how common attacks are. Read the dated advisory.
#1 Best Overall
- Ample Quantities to Use and Share: the package you will receive comes with 24 pieces of privacy boards for student desks in 3 colors, 8 pieces for each color, and 24 pieces of labels; The abundant quantity and diverse colors can satisfy your use and replacement needs in your daily life, and you can share them with your family, friends and coworkers
- Focus Attention: the desk dividers for students are high enough to help students focus and reduce distractions; They also make it easy for teachers and parents to monitor children's learning, avoid cheating; Besides, they can help reduce distractions from the classroom and family, and create a quiet, private environment for children
- Dependable Material: our classroom testing privacy folders adopt quality 350 g white cardboard material, sturdy and reliable, not easy to tear or break, designed in bright and vivid colors, hard to fade, providing you with a service for a long time
- One Fits Most: the whole size of our privacy desk dividers is about 15.8 x 12 x 13 inches/ 40 x 30 x 33 cm; The large size can match well with most desks, providing you with multiple choices to apply them on various occasions, practical and convenient
- Convenient to Use: the desk divider privacy panels can well stand on your desks, you can adjust the angle of the shield according to the use requirements; In addition, they can also be easily folded, convenient for storing when not in use without taking up too space
Prepare before an incident
Write down who decides and who does what
Maintain a written incident-response plan and a communications plan that cover ransomware, data extortion, and suspected breaches. Define responsibilities, obtain senior-leader approval, and rehearse the plan with tabletop exercises. CISA’s K-12 cybersecurity report recommends written plans with clear roles and regular practice. Read the CISA K-12 cybersecurity report.
Make sure staff and students know how to report suspicious activity and that designated responders know how to act on a report. Identify the people and organizations to contact before a crisis: school IT and leadership, any managed security provider, the cyber insurer if applicable, local law enforcement, and relevant public agencies.
Rank #2
- Ample Quantities to Use and Share: the package you will receive comes with 24 pieces of privacy boards for student desks in black, and 24 pieces of labels; The abundant quantity can satisfy your use and replacement needs in your daily life, and you can share them with your family, friends and coworkers
- Focus Attention: the desk dividers for students are high enough to help students focus and reduce distractions; They also make it easy for teachers and parents to monitor children's learning, avoid cheating; Besides, they can help reduce distractions from the classroom and family, and create a quiet, private environment for children
- Dependable Material: our classroom testing privacy folders adopt quality 350 g white cardboard material, sturdy and reliable, not easy to tear or break, designed in bright and vibrant colors, hard to fade, providing you with a service for a long time
- One Fits Most: the whole size of our privacy desk dividers is about 15.8 x 12 x 13 inches/ 40 x 30 x 33 cm; The large size can match well with most desks, providing you with multiple choices to apply them on various occasions, practical and convenient
- Convenient to Use: the desk divider privacy panels can well stand on your desks, you can adjust the angle of the shield according to the use requirements; In addition, they can also be easily folded, convenient for storing when not in use without taking up too space
Plan for safe recovery
Keep backups offline and encrypted, and make sure the school can access and restore them when needed. Decide in advance which services are most critical and how they will be restored. A backup that cannot be reached during an incident, or that restores compromised systems, may not support a safe recovery. CISA’s #StopRansomware Guide recommends offline, encrypted backups and checking backups where possible before recovery.
Use support that fits the school
Schools can review their internal capacity and existing provider arrangements as part of preparedness. CISA also recommends using information-sharing and assistance resources. Its guide says MS-ISAC membership is open to public K-12 education entities and other listed public bodies in the United States; that eligibility should not be assumed for private schools or schools outside the United States. Check the guide for current resource details.
Rank #3
![Vxaop [2-Pack] 24 Inch Computer Privacy Screen Filter (16:9 Aspect Ratio)](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/41qQgBadcwL._SL160_.jpg)
- 60° Privacy Protection – Restricts the viewing angle to 60° to help prevent coworkers or bystanders from viewing sensitive information in offices and public spaces.
- Anti-Glare Matte Coating – Eliminates distracting reflections and glare from overhead lights or sunlight while maintaining crisp, clear screen visibility.
- 95% Blue Light Reduction – Advanced filter technology helps reduce blue light exposure to minimize eye strain and visual fatigue during extended computer use.
- 24 Inch Privacy Screen for Monitor – Designed for 24-inch widescreen monitors with a 16:9 aspect ratio and visible screen dimensions of 20.90 × 11.73 inches.
- Two Installation Options – Choose adhesive strips for a secure fit or slide-mount tabs for easy removal, giving you the flexibility to switch between privacy protection and screen sharing.
What to do when ransomware is suspected
Follow the school’s approved incident plan and coordinate the response. Do not ask untrained staff to attempt forensic work: steps that alter affected devices can destroy evidence needed by responders.
- Identify and contain affected systems. Determine which devices and network segments are involved, then isolate impacted systems promptly. If many systems or segments are affected, CISA says taking the network offline at the switch level may be necessary. Make that decision through the incident plan and technical responders, with critical services in mind.
- Preserve evidence through qualified responders. If mitigation cannot happen immediately, CISA advises capturing system images and memory from representative affected devices and collecting relevant logs and indicators. This is specialist work; coordinate it with the technical response team rather than having untrained employees experiment on affected devices.
- Notify the right people and report the incident. Use the school’s notification and communications procedures. Keep leadership and relevant stakeholders informed, and coordinate any public statements through designated communications staff. CISA lists itself, local FBI field offices, the FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center, and local U.S. Secret Service field offices as possible reporting or assistance routes in its ransomware guide.
- Assess any data exposure separately from service disruption. A locked system or interrupted class does not alone establish that information was taken. Have responders investigate what systems and information may have been accessed, and use the school’s breach-response process if exposure is suspected or confirmed.
- Restore services carefully. Prioritize critical services and restore data from offline, encrypted backups. CISA advises checking backups where possible and ensuring recovery systems are clean to reduce the risk of reinfection. Restoration may not be immediate or complete.
- Record lessons and update the plan. Document what worked and what did not, revise policies and procedures, and exercise the updated plan. CISA’s guide treats improvement after an incident as part of recovery, not an optional afterthought.
Handle breach notices and legal obligations carefully
If a breach is suspected or confirmed, follow the school’s notification plan and get advice from local legal and privacy professionals about applicable requirements. The CISA ransomware guide does not set the legal notification deadline for a particular state, school, or incident; requirements depend on the circumstances and jurisdiction.
Rank #4
- 【Privacy Filter Dimensions】- Width: 20 15/16" (532 mm), Height: 11 13/16" (299 mm), Diagonal: 24" (609.6 mm) - SightPro Blackout Privacy Screen Filter is engineered to be compatible with HP, Dell, Samsung, Lenovo, LG, Acer, ASUS, ViewSonic, and other monitor brands. Please verify your computer screen's width and height measurements before ordering. It's not recommended to make your selection based solely on your computer screen's diagonal size.
- 【Two Attachment Options】- Installs in minutes. Option 1 uses clear adhesive strips that securely attach to any computer screen. Option 2 (for computer screens with a raised bezel only) uses slide mount tabs that easily stick to the display frame, allowing you to slide the privacy screen filter on and off as needed.
- 【Superior Privacy and Anti Glare】- Our advanced multi-layered film filter blacks out your computer screen when viewing from the side, while maintaining a crystal clear screen straight-on. It also protects your eyes from harmful glare, UV, and blue light. [Note: It does not block visibility directly behind you, regardless of the distance.]
- 【Perfect for Travel and Open Workspaces】- Our computer screen privacy filter is the ideal solution for healthcare providers, mobile workers, commuters, students, and business travelers. Now you can stay compliant and safeguard sensitive corporate information while working in airplanes, subways, airports and public areas.
- 【Package Contents】- Each package includes one privacy screen shield filter, two sets of clear adhesive strips, two sets of slide mount tabs, and a microfiber cleaning cloth. Buy with confidence – located in the US, Sight Pro specializes in providing best-in-class privacy solutions to individuals, small businesses, corporations, government, and educational institutions. Our privacy screens are Section 889 and TAA compliant.
For families, a school’s official notice is the most useful starting point. Read what the school says is known, what information may be involved, what steps it has taken, and where to direct questions. A system outage alone is not confirmation that student records were exposed; look for the school’s specific findings rather than treating a disruption as proof of a breach.
Free tools Windows power users keep installed
One-click scans. No signup required.
Quick Recap
Best Value
- 【Perfect for 24 Inch Monitors】: RedANGEL privacy screen is carefully designed to fit with 24” computer monitors with 16:9 aspect ratio, Width: 20 15/16"(532mm)， Height: 11 13/16"(299mm), compatible with Hp Dell Acer Asus Samsung LG ViewSonic and More.
- 【Two Attachment Options】: This screen filter offers two simple attachment options for your convenience. Option 1 uses clear adhesive strips that securely attach to any screen for a strong and durable hold. For easy installation and removal, option 2 uses slide mount tabs. Choose the method that works best for you and experience superior protection and privacy for your device.
- 【SUPERIOR PRIVACY】: With our privacy screen, you can work confidently knowing that your sensitive data and personal information will be protected. Our team has conducted over 5,000 angle experiments to ensure that only the content directly in front of the screen (within +-30° angle) is visible, keeping your confidential information safe from prying eyes.
- 【PERFECT FOR VARIOUS OCCASIONS】: Whether you're working in the office, library, airport, or other public space, our privacy screen provides the ultimate solution to keep your screen secure. Ideal for healthcare providers, mobile workers, commuters, students, and business travelers, it also offers valuable protection against dust and scratches.
- 【FREE LIFETIME REPLACEMENT GUARANTEE】: Lifetime warranty money-back guarantee for any reason, save you from the worries of after-sales. If you encounter any problems or have any suggestions, please feel free to tell us and we will help you wholeheartedly.
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
