The Uncomfortable Truth About How Digital Vulnerabilities Put Our Kids’ Future at Risk
From DrZeroTrust by Dr. Chase Cunningham
May 13, 2026 · 29 min · Season 5
About this episode
This episode discusses the cybersecurity threats facing schools and their impact on students' education and safety.
Your kids’ education is under attack—and the damage goes far beyond data breaches. Schools have become prime targets for hackers, not just because of the valuable student information they hold, but because their interconnected digital systems make them vulnerable to ransomware, data theft, and operational shutdowns that threaten safety and learning at every level. If you think cyber threats are just an IT problem, think again—this is a crisis of safety, trust, and our collective future. In this eye-opening episode, I expose the alarming realities of cybersecurity in America's schools. From massive breaches of platforms like Canvas and PowerSchool to ransomware attacks disabling vital systems like emergency notifications, security cameras, and HVAC controls, the stakes couldn’t be higher. He reveals how adversaries exploit legacy tech, lax access controls, and vendor vulnerabilities, turning school networks into playgrounds for cybercriminals. The consequences? Loss of instruction time, compromised student identities, and even direct threats to safety—issues that can last for years. You'll discover: How cyber breaches in schools impact everything from classroom learning to…
People in this episode
Host: Dr. Chase Cunningham
Topics covered
- cybersecurity
- education
- digital vulnerabilities
- ransomware
- student safety
- Zero Trust model
Keywords
- cyber threats
- data breaches
- school safety
- instruction time
- MFA
- data segmentation
Mentioned in this episode
Organizations: Canvas, PowerSchool
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