Cybersecurity Services for Childcare Centres in Australia

Childcare Centre Cyber Security

Phishing, breaching, black hats, worms.

When it comes to cybersecurity, there’s a lot to get your head around – and it’s no joke. In fact, a cybercrime is reported every 7 minutes in Australia, and the fallout is often catastrophic.

As childcare providers, you collect an incredible amount of sensitive data – data that is increasingly at risk as we move towards cloud-based and mobile solutions to store children’s information, communicate with parents, and even provide educational content.

That’s why the team at Enrolment Hub that provide childcare management services are sharing 10 simple steps to increase cybersecurity at your centre and reduce your risk of getting caught in a cybercrime nightmare.

Why is cybersecurity important?

From information on children’s health, allergies, families, financial details and educational progress, the data that childcare providers collect, as part of the enrolment process, is incredibly sensitive – and incredibly appealing for cybercriminals.

If this data were to ever fall into the hands of cybercriminals, it could easily be used for identity theft or other malicious purposes.

That’s why, when it comes to keeping this data safe, everyone is responsible – from childcare owners to childcare providers, Centre Directors, administrators, educators, and families.

What are the risks for cybersecurity in childcare centres?

Cybersecurity threats are constantly evolving.

With the increase in technology use within childcare centres (such as online enrolments, payment processing, and communication with families) we have created new security risks – and increased access to the sensitive data that is held.

As with anything, the more people with access to the data, the more opportunities there are for unauthorised access. That’s why it’s essential to have strict cybersecurity measures in place for team members as well as families to ensure hackers don’t wreak havoc with your data.

Some of the most common cybersecurity threats that childcare centres encounter include:

A Data Breach: A data breach occurs when sensitive information, such as children’s names and contact information, is accessed without authorisation. For example, when a hacker gains access to your childcare centre’s database or if a team member accidentally sends an email with the data to the wrong person.

In fact, one of the most common causes of a company data breach is when hackers reuse employees compromised personal passwords to gain access to their work devices – with 75% of people reusing the same credentials across both their personal and work accounts.

Phishing Scams: In a phishing scam, a cybercriminal will pose as a legitimate person or organisation and try to get you to share sensitive information. They may do this by sending an email that looks like it’s from a trusted organisation or setting up a fake website that looks like your centre’s website.

Malware: Malware is often installed on your systems without your knowledge and can be very difficult to remove once it’s on. Malware is a type of software that can inflict various damages on your computer, including stealing personal information and deleting all the files on your hard drive.

How can you protect your centre?

Luckily, there are a few simple things that can be done to greatly reduce the risk of becoming a victim of a cybercrime.

Ensure all team members are using separate passwords for work and personal systems – this is one of the main ways that breaches occur in small businesses.
When creating passwords, ensure they’re complex and hard to guess. A great rule of thumb is to use a combination of numbers, upper and lowercase letters, symbols and/or phrases with a minimum of eight characters for your passwords. Alternatively, you can use a program such as Last Pass to safely store passwords and logins with ease.
Install a good antivirus program on all your computers and devices.
Regularly update your software and devices as these updates often include security patches that can help protect against new types of malware.
Update your cybersecurity policies often to help you keep up to date with the latest threats.
Encrypt all sensitive data and have strict security measures for accessing databases.
Create a clear incident plan so that you can quickly and efficiently respond if a breach occurs. This plan should include who to contact, what steps to take, and how to communicate with families and team members.
Incorporate online safety into your learning curriculum. This will help ensure that children get the education they need to stay safe online.
Back up important data regularly and store it securely.
Include cybersecurity training as part of your team onboarding process. Make sure to schedule regular training sessions to ensure that everyone is up to date on the latest threats and how to protect themselves and the centre against them.

And finally, never click on links or open attachments from people you don’t know. Remain vigilant and be cautious of any emails or websites that ask for personal information.

Where can you get help?

As technology continues to evolve, so too do the cybersecurity risks faced by childcare centres. It’s essential to stay up to date on the latest threats and have a robust plan to protect against them.

Here are a few resources you can access to help protect your centre against common cyber security threats:

Australian Cybersecurity Centre provides small businesses with a range of resources to help protect them against cyber criminals.
This Cyber Security Checklist is a great tool to use to get started.
These resources from the eSafety Commissioner can help educators and parents talk about online safety issues and strategies with their children, including downloadable books, and information sheets.