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Charted Course for Student Success, Staff Productivity, and Community Trust
Technology Category
- Analytics & Modeling - Machine Learning
- Application Infrastructure & Middleware - API Integration & Management
Applicable Industries
- Education
Applicable Functions
- Business Operation
Services
- System Integration
- Training
The Challenge
Virginia Beach City Public Schools (VBCPS) faced significant challenges in protecting their email ecosystems, which included both Microsoft 365 for faculty and staff and Google Workspace for students. The division's small IT team had to ensure compliance with federal regulations like COPPA, CIPA, and FERPA, while also addressing the unique risks associated with a student population that includes a significant number of military families. The increasing difficulty in distinguishing between malicious and legitimate emails, coupled with the inability to mandate security training for teachers, exacerbated the problem. Impersonation emails had already scammed some teachers into making unauthorized purchases, highlighting the urgent need for a robust security solution.
About The Customer
Virginia Beach City Public Schools (VBCPS) is a top-performing school division in Virginia, educating approximately 65,000 K-12 students. The division issues Chromebooks and Gmail accounts to all students and uses Microsoft 365 for faculty and staff email. The IT team at VBCPS is relatively small, yet they are responsible for protecting two large email ecosystems while ensuring compliance with federal regulations governing student data privacy. The division also has a significant number of students with military ties, adding another layer of complexity to their data protection needs.
The Solution
VBCPS implemented Abnormal's API-based, AI-driven email security solution to complement their existing security stack, which includes Microsoft 365 and Google Workspace. The solution was easy to deploy, taking less than an hour to set up in read-only mode initially. Abnormal's system quickly identified and remediated malicious emails, including those that impersonated familiar figures like the superintendent, principals, and teachers. This automation freed the IT team from time-consuming manual tasks, allowing them to focus on more strategic initiatives. The solution also provided better visibility into email threats, enabling the team to answer user queries more efficiently and maintain the division's reputation and community trust.
Operational Impact
Quantitative Benefit
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