Clover technology chief details penetration testing, AI‑driven firewalls and student‑data protections

Matt Hoffman, the district's executive director for technology, briefed the board on measures the district uses to protect student data and school networks, citing penetration testing, AI‑driven firewalls and state‑funded tools for app vetting and web filtering.

Hoffman said the district hires external teams and runs multiple internal tests to identify vulnerabilities and then applies fixes. "We do penetration testing and then when we find issues, we plug the holes," he said. He described log‑analytics systems that identify abnormal traffic patterns and an AI‑driven firewall that looks for behavioral anomalies rather than static rules.

Staff training, Hoffman said, includes simulated phishing campaigns and case‑by‑case remediation when staff fall for tests; typical remediation includes immediate password changes and targeted coaching. Hoffman estimated the district sees "on average daily over 9 million internet pings" and that state funding currently covers parts of some security products, though some ongoing costs are not specified in the session.

Hoffman also described ClassLink single sign‑on and a state‑supported app‑vetting catalog used to reduce exposure of personally identifiable student information when third‑party instructional apps are rostered. He said the district is implementing Gaggle for additional web filtering and for AI‑assisted monitoring that flags potentially imminent threats, which will then be escalated to school staff and, if required, law enforcement.

Board members pressed for cost details; Hoffman said one commercial tool that the district previously used (Nessus) cost about $8,000 per year as a comparison and that the exact current product costs were "not specified." He emphasized that the technology department refers behavioral incidents to school staff and does not discipline students directly.