Q: What can I do to protect my data?
A: In an advisory on Aug 5, Singapore’s Cyber Security Agency (CSA) urged individuals and organisations to back up their data regularly. Backing up of data can be done using removable storage devices such as USB drives, internal hard drives, cloud storage or printed copies. CSA recommends at least two different backup methods to ensure that data is kept safe.
The Straits Times understands that data backup is handled by different MOE schools’ information technology departments in different ways.
Some schools have automated daily data backup to the schools’ cloud systems for every issued device, while some coursework may require students to save copies of their work on their devices or on apps such as Goodnotes.
Data generated using Goodnotes can be saved in Dropbox or Google Drive, or by syncing the app with iCloud. However, users must turn on the feature as it is not turned on by default.
Experts said students can send themselves copies of their work via e-mail as a good way of backing up their schoolwork if they run out of options. Students can also opt to use a third-party site like Google to save their notes.
Q: When did MOE start to use Mobile Guardian?
A: MOE awarded a tender in 2020 to Mobile Guardian, which holds the ISO27001 certification, an internationally recognised standard for information security management systems. The app is also used by 2,500 schools in more than 50 countries worldwide.
Blocksi was rolled out in the same year.
MOE had said in 2020 that as part of Singapore’s National Digital Literacy Programme, all secondary school students would have their own personal learning devices by the end of 2021. Students received their personal learning devices with a DMA installed.
Q: What is Mobile Guardian’s history of data protection?
A: In April, an unauthorised individual gained access to a support account on Mobile Guardian’s management portal, using it to view information of customers based in the US and Asia-Pacific region, including Singapore.
This hack affected about 67,000 parents and 22,000 school employees across 127 schools in Singapore, said Education Minister Chan Chun Sing in a written parliamentary reply on May 7.
Mobile Guardian’s management portal is used for administrative purposes like providing technical support, and the portal has access to a user’s name, e-mail address, time zone and school name, and whether a user is a parent or a staff member, he said.
MOE had asked Mobile Guardian then to appoint a forensic investigator to evaluate its systems and processes, and give recommendations to prevent a recurrence.
On Aug 4, another global cyber-security breach involving Mobile Guardian, separate from the hacking incident in April, caused about 13,000 students from 26 secondary schools to be unable to access their applications and information stored in their devices.
In late July, technical issues were reported by students in at least five secondary schools in Singapore. Students reported being unable to access their iPads, where they had their school notes, assignments and worksheets stored.
Other problems students faced included not being able to connect to Wi-Fi and receiving an error message: “Guided Access app unavailable. Please contact your administrator.”
These issues were separate from the cyber-security breach, MOE said, and were due to human error in configuration by Mobile Guardian.
Source Y.R -#Explains #Mobile #Guardian #read #messages
2024-08-06 10:40:00