Securing the Future of Education: Updating the Cybersecurity Playbook

Written By Nicolas Long

February 17th, 2026, at 1:00 PM ET | Sponsored by Microsoft

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Education institutions face increasing cyber threats while balancing access, innovation, and compliance. This presentation introduces the Microsoft Education Security Toolkit, a unified, AI‑powered approach built on Zero Trust principles to protect students, educators, research, and data. We’ll explore how integrated security across identity, devices, data, and AI can simplify operations, strengthen resilience, and support secure digital learning at scale. Real‑world examples from K–12 and higher education illustrate how security can evolve from a defensive necessity into a strategic enabler.

Connect with industry specialist to explore the Microsoft Education Security Toolkit - a proactive approach to safeguarding student data, research, and identity in an era of evolving cyber threats. Key takeaways:

  • Simplify via Integration: Move from fragmented tools to a unified, AI-powered ecosystem. Stop managing security in silos. Use integrated tools to gain a single-pane-of-glass view across identities and devices, reducing operational fatigue while increasing visibility.

  • Implement Zero Trust Everywhere: Treat Zero Trust as your foundational architecture, not an add-on.

  • Shift Security to a Strategic Asset: Use security to enable, not restrict, institutional growth. Position your security posture as a competitive advantage that protects sensitive research data and builds parent/student trust, turning a defensive necessity into a catalyst for digital innovation.

Featured Speakers:

  • Jeff Chester, Security Solution Specialist, Microsoft

  • Micah Linehan, Senior Security Solutions Engineer, Microsoft

Nicolas Long
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Archived: Cybersecurity in the Classroom: From Reactive Recovery to Proactive Prevention