Chronology SecureIT

2025 Chronology SecureIT

The Department of Information and Instructional Technology (DIIT) seeks
approval to enhance the SecureIT initiative, a long-term, district-wide
cybersecurity program designed to protect DeKalb County School District’s
digital infrastructure, sensitive data, and technology users. The SecureIT
chronology provides transparency while protecting digital privacy, safety,
and security.

As the district increasingly relies on technology to support teaching,
learning, and operational functions, the need to proactively defend against
sophisticated cyber threats has become critical. School districts across the
nation are facing an alarming rise in ransomware, phishing, and data breach
incidents. These attacks can compromise student data, disrupt instruction,
and result in costly recovery efforts. In response, SecureIT offers a
comprehensive, sustainable approach to managing cybersecurity risk and
ensuring the continuity of safe, secure learning environments.

SecureIT is guided by the National Institute of Standards and Technology
(NIST) Cybersecurity Framework, a widely adopted model used by leading
public and private sector organizations. The framework is built around five
core functions: Identify, Protect, Detect, Respond, and Recover. These pillars
provide a structured approach to assessing risk, securing digital assets,
monitoring threats, responding to incidents, and restoring operations. By
aligning with this nationally recognized standard, the district ensures that its
cybersecurity efforts are both rigorous and scalable.

SecureIT is not a one-time project but a critical, ongoing investment in the
district’s digital safety and resilience. Board of Education approval will help
mitigate risks and ensure that DCSD students and staff benefit from a
secure, stable, and future-ready digital learning environment.

Key Partners and Services:

Blue Ally – Combined Cost: $682,300
(Secure & Protect $148,100 plus Azure Annual Consumption $534,200)

Secure and Protect Managed Services
Provides managed services for Microsoft Azure and Microsoft 365
environments:
   ● Azure management (monitoring, patching, performance tuning)
   ● Identity management (Active Directory, single sign-on)
   ● Website and application hosting support
   ● Microsoft 365 security hardening
  ● Breach detection and monitoring (MAD365)
  ● Additional on-demand support (100 hours)

Azure Annual Consumption
Azure is a cloud-based platform that enables organizations to build, deploy,
and manage applications using scalable infrastructure services such as
storage, virtual servers, networking, and cloud-based software platforms.
DeKalb County School District (DCSD) uses Azure in combination with on-
premises systems to support students and staff with flexible, reliable
solutions. This approach reduces the burden on limited IT resources by
shifting focus from hardware management to application support. Azure’s
pay-as-you-go model and shared responsibility structure help maximize the
value of each IT investment.

Cyderes – Cost: $723,960.00 ($678,960 annual services & $45,000
onboarding services)

Will provide ongoing managed security services leveraging Microsoft tools.
These services offer 24/7 coverage for detection, investigation, and will
respond quickly to contain them.

Managed services include:

  ● 24x7x365 Managed Security Operations Center (SOC)- Continuous
    monitoring, detection, and response to security threats around the
    clock.
  ● Platform Management and Engineering- Expert configuration,
    optimization, and ongoing maintenance of security platforms.
  ● Automated Investigation and Response with Cyderes SOAR
     Use of the Cyderes Security Orchestration, Automation, and Response
    (SOAR) platform to streamline incident handling and reduce response
    times
  ● Threat Intelligence Platform Integration- Seamless integration of
    Cyderes threat intelligence into your SIEM and EDR systems for
    enhanced situational awareness
  ● Proactive Threat Hunting- Regular signature-based hunts by a
    specialized operations team to detect emerging threats and zero-day
    vulnerabilities
  ● Customer Success and Analyst Alignment- Dedicated support through
    aligned Customer Success Managers and Principal Analysts to ensure
    strategic guidance and continuous improvement
  ● Unlimited Alert Investigations and Use Case Deployment- No
    restrictions on the number of alerts analyzed, data sources ingested,
    or security use cases implemented
   ● Continuous Onboarding and Expansion- Ongoing integration of new
     data sources and deployment of additional security use cases as your
     environment evolves.

Dean Dorton- Cost $250,200

Dean Dorton will assign a senior security consultant (vCISO) supported by a
team of cybersecurity experts to enhance DCSD’s security posture. All
efforts will be aligned with management-approved initiatives and will follow a
broader DCSD NIST Security Roadmap.

   ● Cybersecurity Strategy & Compliance - Advise the CIO on
     cybersecurity risks, compliance, regulations, and strategies for threat
     mitigation.
   ● Security Program Reporting - Deliver regular high-level reports
     summarizing the security posture, key risks, and improvement
     opportunities.
   ● Incident Response Oversight - Lead and coordinate incident response
     efforts and communicate directly with DCSD leadership.
   ● Audit Support - Act as liaison for internal and external audits, ensuring
     accurate and timely responses to IT audit requests.
   ● Security Awareness Program - Oversee and direct strategic planning
     for DCSD's security awareness initiatives, including tools and
     processes.
   ● Cybersecurity Assessments - Perform comprehensive or quarterly
     assessments to evaluate security posture and validate control
     effectiveness.
   ● Attack Surface Monitoring (ASM) - Maintain an inventory of exposed
     digital assets, monitor vulnerabilities, and provide early alerts and
     mitigation strategies for emerging threats.

VivacityTech- Cost $412,300

Provides Google Workspace for Education Plus

   ● Google Workspace for Education Plus- upgrading from Standard edition
     which will include enhanced security tools to prevent, detect, and
     remediate threats. Also will provide advanced reporting and analytics
     in addition to improved collaboration, streamlined administration,
     originality reports and other advanced features
Financial Impact:

Year                Amount Approved

2022                $2,200,000

2023                $1,872,080

2024                $2,372,080

2025                $2,464,894.85

2026                $2,068,760 Amount requested