Flossmoor SD 161 staff recommend AI-capable cybersecurity upgrade and backup connection

District IT staff recommended on Jan. 29 that Flossmoor SD 161 upgrade its cybersecurity protections to an AI-aware platform supplied through Net 56 and add a secondary internet connection at Parker Junior High to provide redundancy.

An IT presenter explained the proposed solution is designed to detect and respond to rapidly evolving AI-driven malware that can 'morph in real time' and evade traditional defenses. The recommendation also includes ransomware recovery services, data migration and restoration procedures, and a district-level playbook for incident response. The presenter said the district has not experienced a ransomware incident to date but that premiums for cyber insurance and vendor assessments drove the district to pursue a more robust solution.

"AI threats are on larger scales. They process a lot faster, and they have the ability to change real time," the Net 56 presenter said during the discussion. Board members asked whether alternatives were considered; staff said they had evaluated other vendors, spoke with peer districts using similar platforms and used the district's insurance cooperative (Cowbell) to benchmark necessity and pricing. Staff indicated negotiations reduced the recommended price by roughly $200,000 from earlier quotes.

Board members pressed for details about fallback and recovery timelines if an attack occurred; staff described varying recovery experiences in other districts (from a matter of days to more than a month) and said the district maintains off-site backups, quarterly insurance check-ins, phishing exercises and other safeguards. Staff said specific contract terms and final pricing will be brought back for board approval.

Next steps: administration will return with a contract recommendation and final pricing for board action.