The K12 SIX Essentials Series
Developed by K-12 IT practitioners, for K-12 IT practitioners—and aligned to cybersecurity risk management best practices—the K12 SIX Essentials series establishes baseline cybersecurity standards for U.S. school districts and provides guidance and tools to support their implementation. K12 SIX-recommended practices are designed to defend against the most common cyber threats facing school districts, including those identified by K12 SIX, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the Cybersecurity & Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), and school insurance carriers.
The series includes:
K12 SIX Essential Cybersecurity Protections for the 2023-2024 School Year: What K-12 Leaders Need to Know - a short list of actionable cybersecurity controls that all school districts should prioritize for implementation
K12 SIX Essential Cybersecurity Protections for the 2023-2024 School Year: Implementation Standards – defines implementation rubrics for each of the K12 SIX recommended protections
K12 SIX Cybersecurity District Self-Assessment Tool for the 2023-2024 School Year - helps K-12 leaders prioritize time and resources in communicating about and addressing the cybersecurity risks facing their school community and kickstarting their cybersecurity plans
[UPDATED] K12 SIX Essential Cyber Incident Response Runbook v1.1 - tailored specifically to the needs and context of K-12 organizations, offering guidance for coordination with internal and external partners, stakeholder communications, and managing student-initiated incidents.
Cybersecurity Frameworks: What K-12 Leaders Need to Know — encourages state and local education leaders to adopt nationally recognized cybersecurity best practices
State and Local Cybersecurity Grant Program (SLCGP): What K-12 Leaders Need to Know — provides key facts and recommended next steps for those looking to leverage SLCGP grant funds in support of improved K-12 cybersecurity risk management practices
Other products in this series can be found in the member-only K12 SIX Cyware Situational Awareness Platform (CSAP).
CALL FOR INPUT: As part of our annual review/update process, the K12 SIX Technical Working Group is seeking your comments and ideas on how to make the K12 SIX Essential Cybersecurity Protections Suite of Products more timely and actionable. Comments due by 5/31/24. Access the feedback form here.