Cybersecurity at OCS
Cybersecurity & Data Protection
Protecting Our Students, Staff, and Community
Onslow County Schools is committed to safeguarding every student and staff member through a continuous, multi-layered approach to cybersecurity.
Our Commitment
Cybersecurity Is a Year-Round Priority
The OCS Instructional Technology Services team works tirelessly — behind the scenes and in partnership with state and national cybersecurity organizations — to protect the digital environment your students and educators depend on every day. We treat cybersecurity not as a checkbox, but as an ongoing commitment to our entire school community.
How We Work
A Multi-Layered Defense
Our cybersecurity strategy covers people, technology, and processes — because protecting our community requires attention on all fronts.
Protecting Every Device
From student Windows laptops to staff workstations, our team applies security configurations and modern protection tools across all district-owned devices to reduce risk and keep your data safe.
Securing Our Network
Our network is built with security in mind — with dedicated segments for students, staff, and guests, along with active filtering and monitoring to block harmful content and detect threats in real time.
Managing User Access
Access to district systems and student data is carefully controlled. We ensure the right people have the right access — and work to add additional authentication layers to guard against unauthorized access.
Safeguarding Data
Student and staff data is encrypted both in storage and in transit. We maintain backups of critical information and are actively working to ensure those backups are isolated and regularly tested.
Keeping Software Current
Our team actively manages software updates and patches across district devices to close security gaps as quickly as possible. We use automated tools to keep the vast majority of our environment up to date.
Incident Preparedness
OCS maintains a documented Incident Response Plan with clear roles, communication procedures, and recovery steps. We conduct regular exercises so our team is ready to respond effectively if something happens.
What We've Accomplished
Recognized Strengths in Our Security Program
Our most recent independent cybersecurity assessment — conducted by a state-designated partner — recognized several areas where OCS demonstrates solid security practices.
Device encryption is in place across district Windows devices, helping ensure that sensitive data cannot be read if a device is ever lost or stolen.
Data in transit is encrypted when moving between OCS systems and cloud platforms, protecting student information from interception.
Multi-factor authentication (MFA) is required for staff accessing district email and major platforms, adding a critical extra layer of protection beyond passwords alone.
Web content filtering is active district-wide, protecting students from harmful online content in compliance with federal law — both on campus and on district-managed devices.
Anti-malware protection is deployed on all district endpoints and servers, with automatic signature updates and behavior-based detection to catch emerging threats.
A documented Incident Response Plan is in place, with assigned roles, communication protocols, and post-incident review procedures — ensuring we can respond swiftly and effectively.
Automated, role-based device management keeps district systems configured consistently, with unnecessary software and services disabled to reduce our attack surface.
A structured account lifecycle is maintained — from automated student provisioning through Infinite Campus to timely access revocation when staff or students leave the district.
Continuous Improvement
We're Always Working to Get Better
Good cybersecurity is never finished. Our team actively engages with state partners and independent assessors to identify areas for growth — and we take those recommendations seriously.
1
Independent Assessments
OCS participates in the NC DPI K-12 Cybersecurity Program, which provides independent evaluations of our practices using industry-standard frameworks — helping us measure our progress and identify priorities.
2
Roadmap-Driven Improvements
Assessment findings directly inform a prioritized improvement roadmap. Our IT leadership reviews every recommendation and develops action plans with clear timelines and accountability.
3
Staff Awareness & Training
We are expanding our security awareness program to ensure every staff member understands how to recognize threats, handle data responsibly, and report suspicious activity.
4
Vendor Accountability
Any third-party company that handles OCS data is required to meet security standards. We review vendor security practices and update contracts to include clear data protection obligations.
5
Simulated Exercises
Our team conducts tabletop incident response exercises to test our readiness. We're expanding these exercises to include more staff and are planning regular phishing awareness campaigns for all employees.
6
State & Federal Compliance
OCS operates in alignment with FERPA, CIPA, COPPA, and other applicable regulations. Protecting student privacy is both a legal obligation and a core value of our district.
Questions or Concerns?
We're here to help. If you have questions about how OCS protects student data, want to report a concern, or would like more information about our technology programs, please reach out to our Instructional Technology Services team.