Fortinet reaffirms its dedication to empower educators with cybersecurity knowledge crucial for maintaining a safe digital learning environment 

ADELAIDE, Australia, November 25, 2024 

Dale Nachman, country manager, Australia, at Fortinet  

“Fortinet’s partnership with the Department for Education in South Australia for security awareness, training, and phishing, marks a first within the education sector in Australia and recognises the critical role educators play in safeguarding sensitive information and maintaining secure digital environments. The Security Awareness and Training initiative equips all staff in government schools with the skills needed to navigate the evolving cybersecurity landscape effectively.” 

News summary  

Fortinet®, the global cybersecurity leader driving the convergence of networking and security, has announced a partnership with the Department for Education in South Australia to deliver its comprehensive Security Awareness and Training to all staff in the state’s government schools. The program, which began in the second semester of 2024 and includes more than 15,500 users, meets the stringent training requirements of educators in Australia and enhances cybersecurity awareness and capabilities among staff in government schools in South Australia.  

The 2024 Fortinet Security Awareness and Training Global Research Report revealed that nearly 70 per cent of organisations found their employees lacked basic security awareness, highlighting the need for targeted training initiatives like this to address critical knowledge gaps.  

The program demonstrates a successful partnership between the public and private sectors. It enhances each staff member’s understanding of cybersecurity principles, compliance requirements, and industry and regulatory standards relevant to educational settings. Educators will develop the expertise needed to protect student data, secure online platforms, and mitigate cyber threats through practical training that includes real-world scenarios and covers skills such as recognising phishing attempts, identifying fraudulent emails, and understanding the importance of multifactor authentication. The tailored content for educators equips them to address today’s cybersecurity challenges confidently. 

This initiative is the result of a successful pilot program between Fortinet and the Department for Education that demonstrated the clear benefits of the Fortinet Security Awareness and Training service. More than 600 individuals completed modules in the first two months and enrolments are doubling each week. This further advances Fortinet’s goal to train one million people in cybersecurity by the end of 2026. 

Supporting quotes 

“The partnership between the Department for Education in South Australia and Fortinet reflects a shared commitment to education and security, built on the foundation of ongoing dialogue, trust, transparency, and innovation. By collaborating with a leading cybersecurity organisation in Fortinet, which prioritises continuous improvement, agility, and open communication, the Department for Education is helping to provide secure digital learning environments for all staff across our schools. This relationship strengthens the Department for Education’s ability to meet evolving cybersecurity challenges while maintaining our focus on fostering a safe and enriching learning experience.”  

– Peter Crescitelli, chief information security officer, Department for Education in South Australia 

“The success of this program has already exceeded expectations, with its expansion from staff training to future student education proving transformative. A pilot with select students is underway, and early participants are set to become peer advisors as the initiative expands to more schools in 2025. This program reflects a shared commitment between the Department for Education in South Australia and Fortinet to an enduring partnership driven by innovation that includes governance and compliance for artificial intelligence, further enhancing the initiative’s impact as part of the forward-looking roadmap.” 

– Daniel Hughes, chief information officer, Department for Education in South Australia 

“With the exponentially growing threat landscape, educational institutions have become a prime target for cybercriminals, who focus on students due to the value of their data on the dark web. This has created a lucrative market, making targeted cybersecurity awareness training for all staff in government schools in South Australia more critical than ever. With a focus on compliance and best practices, Fortinet’s Security Awareness and Training program empowers educators to strengthen their cybersecurity posture, contributing to a safer and more secure digital learning environment for all.” 

– Dale Nachman, country manager, Australia, Fortinet 

About Fortinet (www.fortinet.com) 

Fortinet is a driving force in the evolution of cybersecurity and the convergence of networking and security. Our mission is to secure people, devices, and data everywhere, and today we deliver cybersecurity everywhere our customers need it with the largest integrated portfolio of over 50 enterprise-grade products. Well over half a million customers trust Fortinet’s solutions, which are among the most deployed, most patented, and most validated in the industry. The Fortinet Training Institute, one of the largest and broadest training programs in the industry, is dedicated to making cybersecurity training and new career opportunities available to everyone. Collaboration with esteemed organisations from both the public and private sectors, including Computer Emergency Response Teams (“CERTS”), government entities, and academia, is a fundamental aspect of Fortinet’s commitment to enhance cyber resilience globally. FortiGuard Labs, Fortinet’s elite threat intelligence and research organisation, develops and utilises leading-edge machine learning and AI technologies to provide customers with timely and consistently top-rated protection and actionable threat intelligence. Learn more at https://www.fortinet.com, the Fortinet Blog, and FortiGuard Labs.  

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