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Whiteriver Unified School District
Whiteriver Unified School District Combats a Ransomware Attack and Avoids Dramatic Damage
$60,000
Saved on fines
50% faster
To get ready for an audit
Our environment is very dynamic and all the changes in the systems may become confusing. Netwrix Auditor brings order to the confusion. It helps uncover internal policy violations and workflow disruptions. The product has also been very helpful in detecting accounts infected by viruses, especially ransomware. I also foresee that with the software I will spend 50% less time on audit preparations.
Pierre Dehombreux, IT Director, Whiteriver Unified School District
Challenge
- Gain centralized control over the complex IT infrastructure distributed across five schools having only four people in the IT team.
- Mitigate data security risks, such as theft of intellectual property or compromise of data privacy.
- Ensure compliance with Arizona state regulations.
With Netwrix Auditor helping us combat ransomware, we saved an important vocational program and avoided more than $60,000 in fines.
Pierre Dehombreux, IT Director,
Whiteriver Unified School District
Netwrix Solution
Pierre opted for Netwrix Auditor as a very handy tool because its reports give a better view and understanding of file shares and help easily identify potential threats, misuse and misconfigurations.
- Limited the damage ransomware can inflict. Netwrix Auditor helped Pierre detect file encryption in process by ransomware and quickly find and disable the user account being used. Pierre credits the software with saving vital files that the district needed to prepare an expense report for an organization that finances the school’s vocational program. Otherwise, they would have had to pay back all the money given for it — around $60,000 — plus a large fine from the Arizona Auditor General on top of it.
- Increased control over rogue employees. When several curriculum files were removed, Pierre used the software to find that the accounts belonged to two fired employees. After disabling them, he brought this information to HR to show what can happen if they do not notify the helpdesk about departing employees in time. Thus, now it is easier to deal not only with IT processes, but with employee violations as well.
- Continuous compliance. WUSD has to pass an annual external audit and is subject to non-regular audits by the Arizona Auditor General, which last from 2–3 weeks to several years. Detailed reports on user activity and alerts on critical changes enable the IT team to streamline compliance and spend three days instead of a week to generate all the reports.
Key Benefits
- Mitigated damage from ransomware attack
- Minimized risk of insider misuse
- Streamlined compliance
Customer Profile
Whiteriver Unified School District (WUSD), located in the Fort Apache Indian Reservation in Arizona, U.S., comprises three elementary, one high and one general school. The district focuses on improving the academic achievement of the entire student body, which is predominantly Native American. While adhering to Arizona State Standards and transitioning to the Arizona Common Core Standards, teachers in the school district help students to better know their cultural history and cherish the traditions of the Apache.
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