US schools neglecting security of student digital identities

Schools are increasingly digital environments, and many students would be just fine with someone breaking into their classroom account to do their math homework. Student digital identities have not traditionally have been a security priority, as a new report from Clever makes clear, but this appears to have made them increasingly attractive targets for cybercriminals.

The Cybersecure 2025 Report notes that 76 percent of U.S. school administrators are not confident in the security measures they currently have in place for student digital IDs.

Only 5 percent of schools protect student accounts with multi-factor authentication (MFA), compared to 95 percent of school IT staff and 90 percent of teachers.

Almost one in three school systems (29 percent) report a rise in student-to-student security incidents, and the number of administrators reporting outside cyberattacks increased from 31 percent in 2023 to 36 percent last year.

Clever points out the challenges that go along with account security for students, since younger students just learning to read are unlikely to be able to handle complex passwords or use MFA through a personal device, while older students are increasingly likely to face restrictions on their cellphone usage.

Over 30 percent of school districts currently use biometrics, and 15 percent are considering biometrics. Risk-based authentication is under consideration by 23 percent.

Clever recommends prioritizing student account protection, implementing a zero-trust security model, choosing innovative, classroom-friendly solutions that reduce reliance on devices for MFA and increased collaboration.

And fortunately for school administrators, Clever provides just the kind of student-focused MFA and account security tools its report indicates are necessary.

A recent breach of PowerSchool’s Student Information System exposed an extensive volume of student data, leading the platform to offer two years of complimentary identity protection services from Experian and TransUnion.

Article Topics

Clever  |  cybersecurity  |  digital identity  |  multifactor authentication  |  schools  |  student ID  |  students