The following cybersecurity webinars were offered in 2019–2020 and led by TEA's former Chief Information Security Officer, Frosty Walker, in collaboration with the Data Security Advisory Committee (DSAC) and Melinda Dade, Interim Information Security Officer. Webinars discuss legislation from the 86th Texas Legislature, as well as cover critical issues impacting cybersecurity in Texas public school districts in the 2019-2020 school year.

Data Security Advisory Committee
The DSAC, consisting of members of school districts and Education Service Centers (ESCs), provides guidance to Texas education communities on maximizing collaboration and communication regarding information security issues and resources. The DSAC has reviewed and recommended the Cybersecurity Tips and Tools, which have been shared on the portal.

The September 11, 2019, webinar provides information on SB 820 and HB 3834 and their potential impacts for Texas school districts. The presentation will include planned processes to address the requirements established by the bills’ amendments to the Texas Education Code and Government Code.

The SB820 and HB3834 slides are available for downloading. Questions and Answers from the SB820 and HB3834 are also available.

Led by TEA's Chief Information Security Officer, Frosty Walker, the September 4, 2019, webinar provides information on how best to protect information resources from a ransomware attack. TEA was joined by a special guest from the FBI, sharing expertise on ransomware and answering questions.

The Ransomware webinar addressed the following topics:

• Types of ransomware and their effects
• How ransomware works
• Dos and don’ts of ransomware
• Prevention and detection
• How to remove ransomware
• Ransomware recovery/resources

Superintendents, cybersecurity coordinators, and representatives interested in cybersecurity issues and resources, which can be utilized within the education communities, are encouraged to view this webinar.

The ransomware slides and the questions and answers for the ransomware presentation are available for downloading.

Frosty Walker, TEA's Chief Information Security Officer, presented an October 2, 2019, webinar on the Texas Cybersecurity Framework (TCF) and its primary function. This presentation provided information on the fundamental categories of Identify, Protect, Detect, Respond and Recover, which are incorporated into the TCF. The TCF meets the requirements for the cybersecurity policy in SB 820. Understanding the categories and the objectives for each can be beneficial to your end users and assist your organization in complying with SB 820.

The Texas Cybersecurity Framework presentation slides are available for downloading. FAQ for the Texas Cybersecurity Framework are also available. 

The November 6, 2019, webinar provided information regarding Basic Incident Response and the impact of a cybersecurity incident for your organization. This presentation covered the fundamental steps your organization will need to perform when a cyber event becomes an incident. Understanding the Basic Incident Response fundamentals will help cybersecurity coordinators being compliant with SB 820 requirements in reporting a breach of system security.

The Basic Incident Response presentation slides are available for downloading.

The Cybersecurity Tips and Tools webinar, SB 820 and HB 3834 (86th Texas Legislature) Updates for Texas School Districts, was provided by Frosty Walker, Chief Information Security Officer for the Texas Education Agency, on January 29, 2020. The presentation slides are available for the January 29th webinar.

Cybersecurity Insurance: Is it Really a Good Investment for My School presentation slides are available for downloading.

The special edition March 23, 2020, webinar covered some of the cybersecurity challenges we face with a remote workforce and remote classrooms. Users may have less protection from malware and phishing scams when deployed remotely versus when working in district facilities. We will cover some of the challenges and how to improve cybersecurity under these unusual conditions.

Cybersecurity Challenges with a Remote Workforce Questions and Answers are available for downloading.

As we increase our use of online lessons and meetings, we need to be especially diligent with our cybersecurity efforts to protect the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of student and staff information. This session will review some common virtual meeting platforms, and how best to secure these meetings.

The Virtual Meeting Security Considerations presentation slides are available for downloading.