What to know about KnowBe4 and your k12, Government and Education Cybersecurity situation

K12/Government/Education Customers

Compliance & Risk Exposure

1. "What keeps you up at night regarding student/staff data privacy and your compliance obligations under FERPA, COPPA, and state data protection laws?"
   
    
   • Why it works: Opens discussion about regulatory requirements specific to education and positions security awareness training as compliance insurance.
 
2. "Has your institution conducted a recent risk assessment on phishing susceptibility among faculty, staff, and administrators? What were the results?"
   
    
   • Why it works: Reveals gaps in current security posture and creates urgency around measurable vulnerabilities.

Incident History & Pain Points

1. "Have     you experienced any security incidents in the past 18 months—ransomware,     credential theft, BEC attacks, or data breaches? What was the impact on     operations and budget?"
   
    
   • Why it      works: Uncovers actual pain and financial impact, making the      conversation real rather than theoretical.
 
2. "How     confident are you that your staff would recognize and report a     sophisticated phishing attempt targeting payroll, student records, or     financial aid systems?"
   
    
   • Why it      works: Challenges assumptions and highlights human      vulnerability in critical systems.

Current Program Gaps

1. "What     security awareness training are you currently providing, and how do you     measure its effectiveness in changing behavior?"
   
    
   • Why it      works: Identifies competitive displacement opportunities and      inadequate measurement approaches.
 
2. "Do     you have different training tracks for different roles—IT staff vs.     teachers vs. administrators vs. contractors? How do you address seasonal     workers or substitutes?"
   
    
   • Why it      works: Highlights complexity of education environment and      KnowBe4's role-based training capabilities.

Budget & Strategic Initiatives

1. "What     portion of your cybersecurity budget is allocated to technical controls     versus human risk management? Do you see that balance shifting?"
   
    
   • Why it      works: Positions security awareness as strategic investment,      not just a cost center.
 
2. "Are     you pursuing any cyber insurance policies or renewals? What requirements     are insurers placing on your security awareness program?"
   
    
   • Why it      works: Leverages external pressure from insurers who      increasingly mandate security training.

Stakeholder Buy-In

1. "How     does your school board/county commission/administration view cybersecurity     responsibility? Do they understand that security is everyone's job, not     just IT's?"
   
    
   • Why it      works: Identifies champions and resistance at leadership      level; positions training as culture change.
 
2. "If     a ransomware attack shut down your schools/systems for two weeks, what     would be the impact on student learning, state funding, community trust,     and your career?"
   
    
   • Why it      works: Creates visceral urgency by personalizing the business      impact and career risk.

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