Case Study: Orchard Park
CyberNut Implementation in K-12 Education
Background
Orchard Park Central School District (OPCSD), like many K-12 districts, faced significant cybersecurity challenges. A startling 91% of cyber incidents in K-12 schools originate from human error, primarily phishing attacks.
With over 1,619 cyber incidents recorded nationwide, Orchard Park recognized the urgent need for an effective cybersecurity awareness solution tailored specifically for educational environments.
Problem
Prior to CyberNut, Orchard Park struggled with:
High Susceptibility to Phishing Attacks: Faculty and staff were frequently clicking on malicious links, significantly increasing cybersecurity risks. Ineffective Training Programs: Existing cyber
Ineffective Training Programs: Existing cybersecurity awareness initiatives were lengthy, generic, and failed to engage users effectively.
Administrative Burden: Traditional training required substantial time commitments from IT staff, draining district resources.
Solution
Orchard Park partnered with CyberNut, a cyber security training platform uniquely designed for K-12 environments. CyberNut utilizes engaging gamification strategies, personalized adaptive training, and real-time threat reporting to foster lasting behavioral change among faculty, staff, and students.
Implementation Process
CyberNut’s implementation at Orchard Park was efficient and streamlined. The district experienced minimal disruption, with the training platform seamlessly integrated into daily operations through a simple, automated setup process. The initial baseline assessment was completed quickly, followed by an educational onboarding campaign, transitioning effortlessly into ongoing adaptive training.
Results
After implementing CyberNut, Orchard Park observed significant improvements in their cybersecurity posture:
Increased Engagement: Over 50% of faculty and staff actively participated in CyberNut training since its introduction.
Effective Behavioral Change: 512 users reported at least one phishing simulation, totaling 4,499 reported phishing simulations since deployment.
Enhanced Threat Detection: 463 real threats were reported by 242 unique users, substantially improving the district’s cybersecurity posture.
Reduced Risk: Individual users demonstrated remarkable progress, highlighted by success stories like Sarah, who shifted from initial vulnerability to consistent threat reporting after just one training interaction.
Positive Behavior Change Over Time
This graph illustrates the impact of CyberNut onOrchard schools, with blue representing theperiod before implementation and red showing the results after.
The data highlights a significant and positive shift in behavior, demonstrating a clear reduction in clicks on phishing links afterCyberNut’s training and awareness initiatives were introduced.
This decline reflects improved recognition of phishing threats and a stronger security culture within the schools.This graph illustrates the impact of CyberNut on Zeeland schools, with blue representing the period before implementation and red showing the results after.
Before CyberNut
Audience:
Faculty, Staff, & Administrators at Orchard Park
Results from a phishing audit conducted by anindependent cybersecurity consulting firm.
Phishing Audit Date: May 28, 2024
Total # of participants: 1,088
TOTAL LINKS CLICKED: 618
TOTAL CLICK-THROUGH RATE (%): 31%
OPCSD had a serious phishing problem! After recognizing their risk levels from the phishing audit, OrchardPark deployed CyberNut.
After
CyberNut
After 10 months of CyberNut TrainingOrchard Conducted an additional independent phishing audit.
Phishing Audit Date: December 2, 2024
Total # of participants: 946
TOTAL LINKS CLICKED: 357
TOTAL CLICK-THROUGH RATE (%): 2%
In just 7 months, CyberNut reduced their phishing click rate to 2%.
CyberNut Is for Reporting Simulations& Real Phishing Threats
CyberNut is focused on helping transform your faculty and staff into a human firewall—proactively spotting and reporting real threats to keep your district safe.
In Orchard Park, staff and faculty haven’t only learned how to spot phishing attempts—they’ve put that knowledge into action. Over 450 real potential threats have been reported through CyberNut by Orchard users.
Instant Phishing Threat Removal
CyberNut empowers admins with the ability to swiftly address phishing and security threats directly from the dash board. When users report a suspicious email, admins can take immediate action—no more manual tracing or jumping between platforms.
Key Features
- Effortlessly remove threats from all user inboxes.
- Eliminate emails from specific senders or domains with a single click.
- Block malicious domains in real-time to prevent future attacks.
With CyberNut, threat management is simplified, giving you peace of mind and saving you valuable time.
Conclusion
The Orchard Park Central School District case study underscores CyberNut’s efficacy in significantly enhancing cybersecurity awareness and reducing phishing vulnerability. Through innovative gamification, personalized adaptive training, and effective real-time threat reporting, Orchard Park successfully transformed user behavior, creating a secure and vigilant educational environment.
Ready to Understand Your District's Cybersecurity Risk?
Sign Up for CyberNut’s Free Baseline Campaign
Cybersecurity threats to schools are real, costly, and increasing. Take the first steptowards protecting your district with our no-cost, 2-week Baseline Security Assessment.
Why Start with the Baseline Campaign?
- Completely Free - no hidden costs or commitments.
- Gain Critical Insights - clearly see your district’s phishing vulnerabilities.
- Easy to Implement - no software installations or branding; your users won’t even know it’s happening.
- Actionable Data - get detailed results you can immediately use to secure superintendent, cabinet, and board support for ongoing cybersecurity training.
Empower your district to move forward confidently with the cybersecurity solutions you need.
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