FCC announces application window for $200M cybersecurity pilot

Colleges are not required to be existing or former participants in E-rate– a federal program that assists libraries and institutions pay for broadband access– in order to participate in the upcoming pilot. All institutions will certainly still need to ensure they meet the E-rate program’s eligibility requirements prior to using, the FCC claimed.

The application window for the Federal Communications Commission’s $200 million, three-year pilot program to boost cybersecurity in collections and colleges will certainly open from Sept. 17 via Nov. 1, according to an FCC public notification released Wednesday.

The Federal Communications Commission recommends that prospective candidates review the requirements for the cybersecurity pilot and file their applications soon if an institution is not presently participating in the E-rate program.
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Area leaders aiming to obtain government funds from the Schools and Libraries Cybersecurity Pilot Program have to fill in Part 1 of the FCC Form 484, supplying fundamental info regarding their cybersecurity needs, experience and how they would certainly use the pilot funds, the payment claimed. Program individuals will certainly then have to provide more in-depth info about their cybersecurity if selected.

If a school is not currently joining the E-rate program, the FCC suggests that potential applicants assess the demands for the cybersecurity pilot and submit their applications quicker within the filing home window.

While institutions nationwide are coming to grips with minimal sources to prevent and address cyberattacks, the education sector encountered a record-breaking variety of ransomware strikes in 2023, according to a current evaluation by Comparitech, a cybersecurity and online privacy item evaluation site. Particularly, universities and schools dealt with 121 cases last year, contrasted to 71 in 2022.

Doing so will offer the Universal Service Administrative Company, the marked manager of the pilot, more time to validate applicants’ eligibility and their price cut rate percentage. The Universal Solution Administrative Firm is a not-for-profit that carries out the Universal Solution Fund under the FCC in addition to taking care of the E-rate program.