The National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) has launched a protective DNS (domain name system) service for schools.
It said it has developed the service, which is already in place for other parts of the public sector, to help prevent cyber attacks on schools.
DNSs can be used by malicious actors for malware distribution and control.
NCSC is broadening eligibility for the free service under the PDNS for Schools banner, with a phased roll out beginning now and set to run into. It said this will allow it to test capacity and ensure it can deliver the offer to different types of schools across the UK.
At the moment, local authorities in the UK that provide DNS to their maintained schools can sign up for the service, as can eligible public sector networks from the devolved administrations.
Individual schools and trusts do not need to make enquiries until after the full roll out is announced in the first part of 2024.
Sarah Lyons, NCSC deputy director for economy and society, said: “The ‘PDNS for Schools’ offer will benefit education settings across the UK, protecting them automatically from a huge volume of malicious content which can cause huge disruption, remediation time and costs to schools.”
