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Cybercriminals are targeting schools more than ever, drawn by sensitive student and staff data and the chance to disrupt learning. For educators already managing tight budgets and growing digital demands, a single breach can mean days of downtime and lasting reputational damage.
Criminals are increasingly attracted by the valuable and sensitive information education establishments hold, and the opportunity to extort payments using ransomware or the threat of breach exposure.
Sophos Protected Classroom is the first cybersecurity solution designed for modern, multi-device classrooms. Sophos combines powerful security tools with 24/7 expert monitoring to give schools and MATs comprehensive protection and simple, centralised management.
Five ways Sophos protects education establishments
1 | STOPS RANSOMWARE IN ITS TRACKS
Desired outcome: Stop ransomware before it can compromise data and disrupt school operations or compromise sensitive student, faculty or staff information.
Solution: Ransomware and security breaches are at an all-time high in educational settings. Sophos Endpoint contains multiple layers of protection that defend organisations from ransomware, including CryptoGuard, our unique anti-ransomware technology that automatically blocks malicious file encryption and rolls encrypted files back to their unencrypted states.
2 | HELPS TO OVERCOME THE RESOURCE GAP
Desired outcome: Extend your IT department with a 24/7 team of threat response experts.
Solution: Managing cybersecurity in schools is challenging. Limited staff and resources make it hard to monitor sprawling networks and diverse devices. That’s where Sophos steps in — acting as an extension of your IT team with 24/7 monitoring and rapid response. Sophos’ team of highly skilled experts monitor, investigate, and respond to security alerts 24/7, taking immediate action to stop threats before they can disrupt school operations.
3 | DETECTS ATTACKS TARGETING IOT DEVICES
Desired outcome: Stop attacks involving internet-of-things (IoT) devices.
Solution: IoT devices, such as s ecurity cameras or cashless catering systems, give attackers multiple points of entry and opportunities to move undetected across the network. Sophos Network Detection and Response (NDR) detects attacks targeting these devices and pinpoints unauthorised or unprotected devices communicating on the network so threats can be identified and stopped.
4 | OPTIMISES YOUR IT SECURITY BUDGET
Desired outcome: Deploy a cost-effective security program that supports your existing cybersecurity investments.
Solution: Limited budgets make it challenging to secure each endpoint, upgrade or replace outdated technologies, or employ qualified personnel to address today's cyber threats. With a user-friendly platform, tight integration with Microsoft academic licences (A3/A5) and around-the-clock managed detection and response (MDR) services, Sophos provides superior cybersecurity protection and peace of mind.
5 | HELPS TO MEET COMPLIANCE REQUIREMENTS
Desired outcome: Address compliance and cyber insurance requirements.
Solution: The Sophos Protected Classroom and Sophos Adaptive Cyber Security Ecosystem (ACE) solutions provide tools and capabilities that help schools meet a broad range of cyber insurance and Department for Education regulatory compliance requirements, including Cyber Standards for Schools and Colleges and KCSIE 2026.
Case study: Castle Phoenix Trust
Castle Phoenix Trust in Coventry transformed its cybersecurity posture with Sophos MDR. The result? A secure foundation for teaching and learning, giving staff and students confidence that technology enhances education — not threatens it. The implementation of Sophos MDR and a robust cybersecurity strategy has been transformative. The partnership with Sophos has allowed the Trust to embrace technology without compromising safety.
The peace of mind offered by Sophos MDR’s around-the-clock monitoring and rapid response capabilities has empowered staff and students to focus on what truly matters — uninterrupted teaching and learning for all.
“Our trustees and school leaders greatly value the reassurance that Sophos MDR offers. Cybersecurity is a top priority, and knowing we have an expert team actively monitoring and managing threats across our trust makes a substantial difference in our ability to maintain safe, uninterrupted education for our students.”
Michele Marr, CEO, Castle Phoenix Trust
Discounted pricing for education
Sophos Protected Classroom secures student, facility, and staff data on and off site. You get access to a fully managed 24/7 service managed by experts who detect and respond to cyberattacks targeting your computers, servers, networks, cloud workloads, email accounts, and more.
With our blend of tech solutions, you can reduce the risks and costs associated with security incidents and data breaches. You can also free up IT capacity, add expertise without increasing headcount, and leverage the tools and technology you already have.
Our goal is simple: make enterprise-grade security accessible to every school, so you can protect students and staff without sacrificing essential resources.
Why Sophos?
Sophos offers the industry’s widest range of cyber security products and services. Each standalone product is made more powerful and effective by the data shared across the platform. You decide on the level of support you need to ensure you have protection across your entire network, right down to individual devices.
Interested in strengthening security in your school, MAT, college or university?
Ready to strengthen security across your school or trust?
Combining best-in-class device and network security products with 24/7 monitoring from a team of global cybersecurity experts, Sophos delivers comprehensive network protection and easy management for primary and secondary schools and Multi Academy Trust (MAT) environments of any size.Explore Sophos Protected Classroom and discover how simple, comprehensive protection can free your team to focus on what matters most.