While cybersecurity experts acknowledge that no system is immune to attacks, some said many incidents could be prevented through stronger security practices, greater accountability for education technology vendors and dedicated investments in cybersecurity infrastructure.
He estimated that roughly 80 percent of cybersecurity incidents affecting schools and vendors could be prevented through basic security practices.
Nava said California lacks a dedicated state mechanism for broadly verifying the cybersecurity practices of education vendors.
Beyond vendor accountability, experts identified another potential vulnerability: the vast amount of student information schools and their contractors retain.
The ETS breach affected not only current students but also former students whose records extended back years.