Citrus County board approves $50,000 KnowBe4 cybersecurity subscription after contract questions
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Summary
The Citrus County School Board approved a master subscription to KnowBe4 — an adaptive phishing and cybersecurity training platform — after members pressed staff on contract language, channel‑partner clauses and breach liability. The purchase replaces an expired service and aims to target department-specific risks.
The Citrus County School Board voted to approve a master subscription agreement with KnowBe4, a cybersecurity training and phishing‑simulation vendor, following questions from board members about contract terms and costs.
Technology staff told the board the district’s previous training contract had expired and that KnowBe4 would provide more targeted, adaptive training tailored to individual departments. “KnowBe4 not only does phishing security … it also is a cybersecurity training platform that … adapts … and it’s targeted for the department,” said the technology staff member who presented the item, explaining the product’s ability to send tailored phishing simulations to departments such as finance, human resources and transportation.
Board members asked detailed questions before voting to approve. One board member called the contract “the finest print 14 page contract I’ve ever seen” and sought clarity on a clause referencing payments to a channel partner; technology staff said that language appeared to be a vendor boilerplate and not material to the district’s planned annual, upfront payment. Another member highlighted negotiated protections for the district in the event of a data breach, noting the district had secured a recovery cap equivalent to roughly three times the contract value in negotiated terms.
The board approved the purchase and master subscription agreement by voice vote after the discussion. The technology staff said the purchase is intended to reduce the risk of social‑engineering attacks and to provide department‑specific reporting to guide training and professional development.
The agreement replaces the district’s expired training subscription and is funded through the district’s technology procurement processes. District staff said the platform would be paid for upfront for a one‑year term.