Recognising the growing risks posed by cyber threats, the Department of Education (DfE) first introduced standards on cyber security and resilience in 2022. These guidelines have subsequently been updated twice – in May 2024 and January 2025.
Having developed the initial framework in collaboration with the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC), the first update aimed to make the standards more accessible to staff. The most recent change introduced Cyber Essentials certification to replace the mandatory IT health check framework for colleges and special post-16 institutions (SPIs).
What are the DfE guidelines on cyber resilience?
The DfE standards provide essential measures that schools and colleges should take to protect sensitive data, ensure operational continuity, and prevent cyber incidents. As the UK’s leading data protection partner in the education sector, Redstor is perfectly placed to ensure compliance.
The guidelines set out key security measures that all educational institutions should adopt. These include:
Annual cyber risk assessment
Educational institutions should conduct a full cyber risk assessment at least once a year. The assessment should:
- Identify potential cyber threats and vulnerabilities.
- Be reviewed every term to stay updated on emerging risks.
- Document key risks, mitigation strategies, and responsibilities.
Redstor’s solution: Our automated risk management tools help schools conduct and maintain risk assessments, providing real-time insights into vulnerabilities and threats.
Collaboration between leadership and IT
Cyber security must be a leadership priority, not just an IT concern. The Senior Leadership Team (SLT) should:
- Develop and oversee a cyber resilience strategy.
- Regularly review cyber security measures with IT teams.
- Assign a Cyber Incident Response Team (CIRT) to handle potential breaches.
Redstor’s solution: Our user-friendly platform bridges the gap between IT teams and senior leadership. Redstor’s centralised management console enables non-technical staff to monitor security status, keeping leadership actively involved in cyber resilience planning.
Cyber Essentials compliance
Cyber Essentials provides a baseline level of security. Schools are encouraged to adhere to its five key controls:
- Firewalls to prevent unauthorised network access.
- Secure system configurations.
- Strong user access control policies.
- Robust malware protection.
- Strong security update management.
Redstor’s solution: Our services meet all five controls. We offer secure data transmission and storage without interfering with existing firewall protections, built-in best practices to reduce risks associated with misconfigurations, and customisable access permissions to prevent unauthorised access to sensitive data. Redstor also provides malware detection scans for backup data to detect, isolate, and neutralise threats and cloud-based services to ensure automatic updates.
Regular training and cyber awareness
Schools must train staff and students on cyber security best practices, including:
- Annual training sessions.
- Simulated phishing exercises to test awareness.
- Cyber security handbooks and drills.
Incident response and recovery planning
To minimise downtime in the event of an attack, schools should:
- Develop a Cyber Incident Response Plan (CIRP).
- Conduct incident response drills biannually.
- Maintain off-site and cloud backups of critical data.
Redstor’s solution: Our InstantData™ technology ensures rapid recovery in seconds. We also provide cloud-based backups that comply with the DfE’s 3-2-1 backup rule.
Data protection and secure access controls
Sensitive student and staff data must be safeguarded through:
- Strong password policies and Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA).
- Encrypted storage and secure data transmission.
- Regular audits of access rights.
Redstor’s solution: We use immutable backups to prevent data tampering or ransomware encryption, MFA to enhance access security, and encrypted cloud storage to safeguard student and staff information.
Network and endpoint security
To protect school networks, institutions should:
- Use firewalls and intrusion detection systems.
- Keep all software and systems up to date.
- Restrict USB and external device access.
Redstor’s solution: Our endpoint protection features help schools maintain secure networks by preventing unauthorised application use. We also support network segmentation strategies to separate staff and student access and provide real-time threat detection across all endpoints.
Cloud security and remote learning protections
With the rise of remote learning, secure cloud storage and video conferencing tools must be used to:
- Protect data.
- Ensure safe digital environments by logging suspicious activity.
Redstor’s solution: We ensure secure access controls for cloud storage platforms and provide real-time monitoring of suspicious remote access attempts. Our platform also offers compliance with security best practices for third-party educational tools.
Conclusion
The DfE’s guidelines provide a clear roadmap for schools and colleges to strengthen their cyber defences. Implementing these measures will reduce cyber risks, safeguard sensitive data, and maintain learning environments for students and staff alike. The DfE sets the standards for cyber resilience in the UK education sector. Redstor sets the standard in compliance.
Learn more about our pricing for schools and academies.