NEBRC and Police and Crime Commissioner announce new funding for local schools to improve cybersecurity

Jonathan Evison, the Police and Crime Commissioner for Humberside Police has released new funding in partnership with the North East Business Resilience Centre (NEBRC), offering five-figure cyber security support to schools and educational institutions in the region.

Schools across East Yorkshire, North Lincolnshire and Hull will be able to gain access to cyber security services such as vulnerability assessments, policy review, web application testing and training, at a significantly reduced cost. Such assessments include a review of the school’s digital infrastructure, spotting weaknesses which criminals and threat actors could exploit. 

The new grant scheme will make up to £25,000 of funding available, at a critical time when cybercrime is rising and education budgets are being stretched. Typical assessment costs for a school can vary hugely however, this new funding allows schools to access a reduced rate.The NEBRC will front half of the cost through the funding, with schools then matching this amount to make up the rest.

Speaking about the announcement, Rebecca Chapman, CEO and director at The Business Resilience Centre for the North East (NEBRC) and retired Police Superintendent said,

“This funding is incredibly important and will help make a real impact for schools in the region. Cyber threats are growing in number and becoming increasingly sophisticated, thanks to new technology used by criminals.” 

“Schools store and process a range of personal data on their staff, students and stakeholders, much of which is particularly sensitive. On top of data relating to minors, they also hold payroll data, the school’s financial information, classroom technology and even health data: all of which may be targeted by criminals. 

“This is why the latest funding from the Police and Crime Commissioner has been announced, we want to help put education teams’ minds at rest, knowing that their data is secure. When it comes to cybersecurity, prevention is often cheaper than cure, making such schemes vital as education budgets have been increasingly squeezed in recent years.”

Should the scheme prove to be successful, additional funding will be unlocked to help even more schools.