The Emerging Cloud-Based Physical and Cybersecurity Solutions for Schools

As the line between physical and cyber threats continues to blur, schools are reevaluating how they manage safety and compliance across their campuses. Risk analysis platforms are being woven into modern GSOCs (Global Security Operations Centers) to give districts a unified view of threats, hazards, and data privacy obligations. But how are schools actually navigating the landscape of security convergence?

Moderator Steve Lasky, joined by guests Antoinette King, Founder, Credo Cyber Consulting LLC; Daniel R. Young, Founder & Chief Innovation Officer, Circadian Risk Inc.; and Tyler Brown, Product Manager, Pavion, explores what the rise of the GSOC means for schools, including:

• The benefits of risk analysis and compliance tracking for K-12 schools,
• The importance of accountability for both protecting data and breaking silos,
• And the evolving role of integrators as technology bridges and trusted advisors.

Schools, risk analysis, and the modern GSOC

“GSOCs are an evolving infrastructure for all organizations, including schools,” opened Young. “In the beginning, they were monitoring centers for access controls and cameras. Today, GSOCs are more like intelligence operations centers.”

As intelligence operations centers, Young explained, GSOCs gather immense amounts of information that can be used to fuel more proactive decision-making. Teams can examine the unique problems facing specific locations—such as areas with higher crime rates or those more likely to be affected by severe weather—and mitigate those issues in advance. That shift, he argued, makes risk analysis the hinge of any GSOC.

Combining these disparate data streams into a coherent risk intelligence framework, however, is a tall order for cash-strapped schools without dedicated security or IT departments.

Where IT meets security

Many districts, King explained, rely on a small team of educators and administrators to carry out these functions. In institutions that have a GSOC, the financial and technical resources to integrate advanced risk analysis tools exist, but they are the exception rather than the rule. For districts without these resources, King noted partnerships with law enforcement as a practical solution. “They’re utilizing some of the analysts from the local PDs or even the FBI to have more of that proactive approach to risk,” she said.

A significant trend King highlighted is the transition of security functions into IT. “The person who used to be responsible for knowing how technology like smart boards worked is now also responsible for understanding risk, cybersecurity, data, privacy, and the principles of physical security,” she explained. This convergence, although necessary, creates a steep learning curve for many districts that are still defining their governance frameworks.

Automated, proactive risk solutions offer a path forward. By integrating threat analysis into school security operations without the need for large teams of analysts, these platforms enable districts to adopt modern security practices, even when staffing and budget constraints remain in place.

Too much data, not enough clarity

GSOCs take in massive quantities of data to better inform incident response. However, this data quickly becomes noise without proper ways to filter it.

“Between access control, alarms, IoT devices, and cloud-based analytics, the information coming into GSOCs is constant,” Young said. “The trick is figuring out what’s actionable: schools don’t need more alerts; they need clarity.”

This is where risk analysis comes in. By evaluating severity, likelihood, and context in real time, Young explained, GSOCs can become control towers that inform rather than distract. “If there’s a weather alert near a field trip location or a cyber breach that could impact student data, the system should flag it for the right person immediately,” he said.

King also emphasized the importance of tearing down departmental silos when making data-driven decisions. “IT, facilities, emergency management—they’re all working in different silos,” she said. “And nobody is talking until something goes wrong. Even modest campuses now rely on connected door controllers, AI-driven surveillance, and digital visitor logs, all of which sit on the same network as student data. One compromise can cascade across systems.”

Tracking risk with compliance

An unexpected advantage of risk analysis, Young said, is the ability to track compliance. “A GSOC can now show you not just threats but compliance gaps,” he said. “If your visitor management logs don’t meet privacy laws, or if your audit trails are incomplete, it’s visible right there.”

That transparency, King added, helps schools stay accountable. “Parents expect privacy. Regulators expect accountability,” she said. “These systems make that visible.”

Compliance, King said, is difficult for educational institutions—especially as regulations shift and threats continue to evolve—but extremely necessary. “Privacy laws keep coming, and vendors have to be transparent about how they’re protecting student and faculty data.”

Accountability must also extend to AI-based technologies. While AI security systems have their benefits, such as noise reduction and incident prediction, they require human oversight.

“In education, especially K-12, there’s a fine line between automation and responsibility,” King said. “You can’t let AI make safety decisions. It can assist, but not replace, judgment.”

Bridging gaps with integrators

A major aspect of this accountability is the integrator, a role that has expanded significantly in recent years. “They’re not just installers anymore,” Young said. “They’re the ones explaining to school boards why a GSOC matters, why data-sharing agreements need to exist, and how physical and cyber risks connect.”

“Integrators have become trusted advisors,” King agreed. “They help schools understand that systems aren’t separate; they’re part of one risk posture.”

The expectation now is that integrators can speak the language of both facilities and IT, aligning them into a single operational strategy. This is especially important for educational institutions without dedicated security or IT staff, who may not even know what questions to ask, given the rapid evolution of technology.

“They’re the connective tissue,” Young said. “If we expect schools to make informed risk decisions, someone has to help them understand the whole picture.”

Today’s integrators are now guiding conversations, helping clients map out data privacy policies, creating vendor risk frameworks, and designing governance plans that satisfy both security and compliance requirements. In smaller districts, where they are likely to be the only party with a comprehensive understanding of the full security ecosystem, they can train staff to interpret the data they generate into actionable items.

This heightened level of collaboration is necessary in a world where new technologies, threats, and regulations crop up almost too quickly to adapt to. “This space keeps moving,” Young concluded. “Risk isn’t static. Neither can we be.”

Speakers

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