Districts · Penetration Testing
Districts are one of the
most-attacked targets
in the country.
We help you defend your data.
The stakes
K-12 schools hit
82%
Cyber incident · Jul 2023 - Dec 2024
Average ransom demand
$556K
Education sector · first half of 2025
Phishing entry point
22%
Leading vector into K-12 ransomware
How we work
Who is this for?
K-12 districts, charter networks, and colleges sit on exactly the data attackers want - student records, staff payroll, vendor integrations - usually with smaller security teams than the threat warrants. We test your environment the way an attacker would, then hand you a plan your team can actually act on.
The risk isn't theoretical, and the people asking about it aren't waiting.
Pressure point 01
The attacks themselves
Education is the fourth-most-targeted sector for ransomware globally. Vendor-side breaches like PowerSchool reach institutions that did everything right on their own side.
Pressure point 02
The board and trustees
Cybersecurity is a standing agenda item now. Board members want plain-language verification that the institution is ready, not assurances that it is.
Pressure point 03
The insurance layer
Carriers are tightening requirements and state privacy laws keep multiplying. A documented penetration test is increasingly what compliance is expected to look like.
What it actually is
A penetration test is a controlled, expert attempt to find the gaps
before someone else does.
before someone else does.
01
For leadership and the board
A clear, documented picture of where the institution actually stands - not marketing materials, not vendor self-assessments. The evidence boards, trustees, and carriers expect to see.
02
For IT and security teams
Expert probing of the environment your team runs: student information systems, identity providers, the network perimeter, public-facing applications, vendor integrations, learning management systems. What comes back is a prioritized remediation plan sized to the capacity you actually have.
The engagement
Six phases,
no surprises.
no surprises.
Designed so your team's day-to-day isn't disrupted.
01
Scoping
A meeting with leadership and your IT or security team to map the systems, set the boundaries, and align on scope before anything begins.
02
Active Testing
Controlled probing by certified testers, with daily check-ins. Critical findings are flagged the moment they surface.
03
Reporting
An executive summary for the board, technical findings for IT, and a remediation roadmap ranked by risk and effort.
04
Readout
Walking leadership and the security team through the findings together, with a clear plan and the documentation to support it.
05
Remediation
Working alongside your team at whatever level of involvement you need, supported by our vCISO partner. A bank of hours is included; more is available.
06
Re-test
A full re-test of every previous finding, with verification and updated documentation.
What you receive
Documentation that holds up to
Board-level scrutiny and IT-level detail.
Board-level scrutiny and IT-level detail.
Deliverable 01
Executive Summary
A plain-language brief for board chairs, trustees, or cyber insurance carriers: risk posture, key findings, actions taken, next steps.
Deliverable 02
Technical Findings Report
The full picture for IT and security staff: methodology, evidence, severity ratings, and reproducible steps for every finding.
Deliverable 03
Remediation Roadmap
A prioritized plan with realistic timelines and effort estimates matched to your team's capacity.
Book a call
Start the Conversation → See if we're a fit.
Twenty minutes. We'll ask what you're running and what's worrying you, and you'll leave knowing whether a penetration test is the right next step. It goes both ways - we're evaluating fit too.
See clearly.
Act strategically.
Protect what matters.
Questions we get
What districts ask
before they start.
before they start.
How is this different from a vulnerability scan?
A vulnerability scan tells you which doors might be unlocked. A penetration test tells you which ones actually open, what's behind them, and how far someone could get. Both have their place; only testing gives you the real risk picture.
When auditors or carriers ask what we've done, can we point to this?
Yes. A documented pen test is concrete evidence for auditors, boards, and carriers. It isn't compliance on its own, but it answers specific framework and underwriting questions directly.
What if you find something serious mid-engagement?
Critical findings don't wait for the final report. Your designated contact hears from us the same day, with enough detail to act on it.
How is pricing structured?
A fixed fee, scoped to your institution and the systems in play. You get a written quote after the scoping conversation, before any work begins.
We're a small district with a small IT team. Is this overkill?
No. Smaller institutions have the least margin to absorb a breach. Scope and depth are tuned to your actual operational footprint, not to a template.
Who does the actual testing?
A CREST-certified penetration testing partner team. Independently verified, consistent methodology, responsible handling of your data.
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