In part one of our exclusive 2-part interview on K12 Tech Talk, we sat down with Soheil Katal, the Chief Information Officer (CIO) at Los Angeles School District, to discuss the recent ransomware attack that rocked the district's systems and caused disruption for students and staff alike. Katal shared his firsthand account of the impact of the attack and the challenges of trying to restore the district's systems and data. But that's not all. Katal is a seasoned technology leader, and he shared h...
Feb 22, 2023•33 min•Ep. 110
BIG NEWS! In this episode, we set up Episode 108, an interview with Soheil Katal, the CIO of Los Angeles Unified School District. We are pretty certain this is the first one on one interview he has given, and we got it! As you can tell, we're excited. But first, in this episode, we mention a cheating scandal at a High School in Florida that involves... you guessed it... everyone's favorite AI bot, ChatGPT. We have a listener email about the blurred lines between door access control systems and s...
Feb 17, 2023•20 min•Ep. 109
Our influx of listener emails continues, and we field a question about esports, one about recovering from COVID challenges, and we say G'day to a listener from Australia. We also spend a good amount of time talking about rolling out MFA requirements and a few settings in Google Admin Console that might make that rollout easier. We also talk about some upcoming conferences that "we" will be attending including but not limited to K12Six, CoSN, and NHCTO. Hang out with us at K12TechPro.com Buy our ...
Feb 10, 2023•50 min•Ep. 108
We had so many listener emails that we can't get to them all this week. We will save a few for next week, but keep 'em coming! A few weeks ago, we talked about Sh1mmer, the new shim package that was released that allowed individuals to remove Chromebooks from Google Admin Console, etc. We received an email from the group who developed Sh1mmer and they wanted to clarify some items that we got wrong. In this episode, Chris tells the story of the email exchange with two people from the group, inclu...
Feb 03, 2023•55 min•Ep. 107
Mark is absent (AKA suspended for his actions last week), so Eric fills in for him. We have two listener emails; one about Chromebook rotation and one about interactive boards/panels. We talk about ChatGPT's Terms of Service requirement of 18 years old for use. We talk about Google Meet and Zoom supporting each other's clients and interoperability. We also go down another "rabbit hole" about taking time to block VPNs and content filter avoidance websites. Mark should be off suspension and return...
Jan 27, 2023•1 hr 5 min•Ep. 106
The guys are off the rails tonight. They have a listener email that asks some tough questions, they talk about the sh1mmer vulnerability affecting Chromebooks, and they talk about going down rabbit holes and spending time to address issues. Chris and Josh talk about an Extreme Networks boot camp they went to, and then the guys wrap it up with Fortinet's Security Segment Question of the Week... and that's when the wheels fall off. We aren't sure how the Fortinet marketing folks will respond to ou...
Jan 20, 2023•51 min•Ep. 105
In this episode, Chris, Josh, and Mark talk details on their upcoming session at the SecurED Schools conference , they unpack two listener emails, give the latest on ChatGPT in their schools, and Mark shares an article about students viewing pornography at school and the tech dept's responsibility . The Fortinet Security Segment Question of the Week is related to MFA/2FA. Visit our sponsors: ClassLink Fortinet - Email fortinetpodcast@fortinet.com SomethingCool.com - Cybersecurity Solutions Extre...
Jan 13, 2023•46 min•Ep. 104
The guys are back from the holiday break and they are ready to go! ChatGPT is in the news and the guys talk through their stances on whether to block or allow, and valid uses for ChatGPT. In fact, during the episode, Mark used ChatGPT to write a policy about the use of personal devices at work... and it's amazing. GPTrue or False (extension we discuss) Article Chris mentions about ChatGPT They have an email from listener Pate about allowing students to change profile pics, names, and gender in G...
Jan 06, 2023•53 min•Ep. 103
Last week the guys asked all the guests to look back at 2022, and give a forecast for 2023. In this episode, it's the guys' turn. They each take an assessment of 2022, and look forward to see what 2023 might hold. Also, Chris rants about being required to fill out the NCSR. Visit our sponsors: ClassLink Fortinet SomethingCool.com - Cybersecurity Solutions Extreme Networks - dmayer@extremenetworks.com Provision Data Solutions Oh, and... Email us at k12techtalk@gmail.com Tweet us @k12techtalkpod V...
Dec 16, 2022•30 min•Ep. 102
Tonight we celebrate Episode 100 with a retrospective of sorts with visits from former guests, loyal listeners, former hosts (Cory), a sponsor, and one you won't believe. Somehow Chris convinced Jack Rhysider from Darknet Diaries to come on and help us celebrate episode 100. All of our guests (including Jack) talk about their plans for 2023 and top priorities. The lineup is as follows: Jeremy from SomethingCool.com, Listener Pate, Listener/Fill-in Host Eric, Jack Rhysider, Listener Dan, Listener...
Dec 09, 2022•1 hr 13 min•Ep. 101
We took the week off for Thanksgiving to rest and relax, but we are back and hitting it hard! We as in Josh and Mark; Chris is in a Christmas parade at the time of this recording lolol. If you have not listened to Episodes 97 and 98, STOP NOW and go listen to those episodes first. 99 is the third episode in this series. In 97, we talk with a superintendent about a cyber attack on his school. In 98, we talk about fostering a cyber security culture in schools. We promise they are worth the listen....
Dec 02, 2022•57 min•Ep. 100
TELL ME I HAVE AN UGLY BABY!!! This is the second episode in our three part series about enhancing school district cybersecurity posture. Last week we spoke with Scott Elder, the Superintendent of Albuquerque Public Schools about their ransomware attack. This week we speak with Tom Ryan and Lenny Schad. Tom is the former CIO of Albuquerque Public Schools, current CoSN board member, and member of the Council of Great City Schools. Lenny is the former CIO of Katy (TX) ISD, the former CIO of Housto...
Nov 18, 2022•58 min•Ep. 98
Tonight we sit down with Scott Elder, the Superintendent of Albuquerque Public Schools. We talk about the ransomware attack they experienced in January 2021. This discussion is from the perspective of the Superintendent during the attack. Scott is wildly candid and honest about the experience. This is the first episode in our three part series. The second episode will be about Organizational Change related to Cyber with Tom Ryan (Board Chair of CoSN) and Lenny Schad (Former Houston ISD CIO). The...
Nov 11, 2022•1 hr 1 min•Ep. 97
In this episode the guys cover the E-Rate admin window, filling out the 2022 NCSR, and getting verified Twitter accounts for schools. Also, Josh talks about getting rid of an obsolete records system still running on Windows XP. Mark teases our upcoming 3 episode series with MEGA-sized district leaders examining ransomware events and the need for Incident Response Plans. Finally, Josh talks about the steps he took to keep one student from emailing other students. Hang out with us at K12TechPro.co...
Nov 04, 2022•47 min•Ep. 96
In this episode the guys tell their own Scary IT Stories that they have experienced. Josh and Chris recap the MOREnet conference and also talk about their struggles with e911. Mark talks about getting DKIM and DMARC set up on his email. Josh quickly talks about the FortiGate vulnerability that was announced a few weeks ago. And Chris works through some childhood scars related to little league baseball. Hang out with us at K12TechPro.com Buy our merch!!! Visit our sponsors: Managed Methods (Webin...
Oct 28, 2022•49 min•Ep. 95
This week Chris and Josh hit the road! They are in Osage Beach, Missouri at the MOREnet Conference. They interview random K12 techs from across the state and ask them to tell their scary IT stories. Oh, and there might be a former K12 Tech Talk host that comes out of retirement and joins us for a few minutes. We talk to Eric, Pate, Eric, Ryan, Cory, and Brett. Visit our sponsors: Rise Vision EMAIL Shea Darlison, shea.darlison@risevision.com !!! SomethingCool.com PDS Extreme Networks Oh, and... E...
Oct 21, 2022•46 min•Ep. 94
In this episode Chris talks about his new documentation project. Josh talks about his rough week with a fiber cut, a fender bender, and an intercom going belly up. Chris updates us on his e911 project and his frustrations with telco carriers. And there is also entirely too much discussion of crab rangoon. We are K12 Tech Talk, and so are you. Visit our sponsors: Rise Vision EMAIL Shea Darlison, shea.darlison@risevision.com !!! SomethingCool.com HPE/Aruba PDS Oh, and... Email us at k12techtalk@gm...
Oct 14, 2022•42 min•Ep. 93
In this episode Josh and Mark are concerned with Chris' dinner choices. Mark talks about Killnet and the current threat to government websites and schools. Josh shares a story about a weird Smartboard issue, a funny Seesaw story, and recent incidents at a few schools. Chris tells us about a UPS failing on the day his network admin took off. Visit our sponsors: Rise Vision SomethingCool.com HPE/Aruba PDS Oh, and... Email us at k12techtalk@gmail.com Tweet us @k12techtalkpod Visit our LinkedIn page...
Oct 07, 2022•43 min•Ep. 92
In this episode we answer a few listener emails, Josh talks about the newly approved FEMA Cyber Grant, Mark talks about surfing his school WiFi while at Fenway Park, and Chris and Josh argue over WiFi on their baseball fields. Also, Chris' WiFi is terrible. Visit our sponsors: Rise Vision SomethingCool.com HPE/Aruba PDS Oh, and... Email us at k12techtalk@gmail.com Tweet us @k12techtalkpod Visit our LinkedIn page HERE Hang out with us at K12TechPro.com Buy our merch!!!...
Sep 30, 2022•49 min•Ep. 91
Josh is gone; he said he had homework. Chris and Mark discuss some listener emails about hall passes and 2 factor. The guys talk about the podcast tweeting and emailing the FCC concerning E-Rate funding. They discuss 911 laws and requirements for schools. And then they talk about pizza. Visit our sponsors: Rise Vision SomethingCool.com HPE/Aruba PDS Oh, and... Email us at k12techtalk@gmail.com Tweet us @k12techtalkpod Visit our LinkedIn page HERE Hang out with us at K12TechPro.com Buy our merch!...
Sep 23, 2022•36 min•Ep. 90
In this episode, Josh is sick and it shows. The guys talk a bit more about LAUSD and Josh takes issue with some of the talking heads throwing LAUSD IT leadership under the bus. Mark tells us about his horrific Seesaw experience. Chris talks about enabling Google 2 Factor in his district. Finally, Josh talks about a weird ChromeOS upgrade issue he is having with HP G6 Chromebooks. Visit our sponsors: Rise Vision Eaton/TrippLite Also with TrippLite... check out their mounts https://brd.tripplite.c...
Sep 16, 2022•59 min•Ep. 89
It has been a busy week in the realm of K12 cybersecurity. News broke earlier in the week about LA Unified School District being hit with a ransomware event. Mark and Josh discuss LAUSD's response and transparency shown via their Twitter account - Los Angeles Unified (@LASchools) / Twitter The majority of the episode is dedicated to a chat with Randy Rose with the MS-ISAC and Center for Internet Security. Randy talks about some of the things that MS-ISAC can help K12's address in the cyber realm...
Sep 09, 2022•55 min•Ep. 88
The title says it all! Josh takes major issue with Quizlet this week and the ads they are serving to teachers and students. We have a listener email from Idaho about a bus camera server issue. Chris complains about student data/roster syncing. Mark tells us about his new sailboat . Email us at k12techtalk@gmail.com Tweet us @k12techtalkpod Visit our LinkedIn page HERE Hang out with us at K12TechPro.com Buy our merch!!! Visit our sponsors: Eaton (Link to UPS we mentioned) Aruba PDS SomethingCool....
Sep 02, 2022•48 min•Ep. 87
It was the first week of school for Chris and Josh. We guess it didn't go well for Chris, because he is absent tonight. Josh and Mark go over their takeaways from the Infinite Campus/Tyler Tech interview, we have a listener email from James about a "I told ya so moment," Mark talks about using Zoom Events for the first time, and Josh installs his first Microsoft Wireless Display Adapter. Email us at k12techtalk@gmail.com Tweet us @k12techtalkpod Visit our LinkedIn page HERE Hang out with us at K...
Aug 26, 2022•50 min•Ep. 86
This is the big episode we have been looking forward to for weeks. We sat down with the CEO of Infinite Campus, Charlie Kratsch, and Sean Marlow, Senior VP at Tyler Technologies. This entire episode is dedicated to the recently announced partnership between Tyler and Infinite Campus. We ask questions like, what does migration look like, how many years of data will be imported, what about IEPs, what about court order files, how expensive is Infinite Campus, and the list goes on. We also got a qui...
Aug 19, 2022•1 hr 9 min•Ep. 85
In this episode, there are listener emails from Dan and Marcus. Dan had a question about naming phone extensions and Marcus had a question about personal devices on the "production" network. Dan went the extra mile and sent us a beautiful photo he edited of Mark riding a buffalo! Josh recaps his trip to the MS-ISAC annual Meeting. Chris talks back to school. Mark tells us a story about a fake PO that was sent to a vendor. Email us at k12techtalk@gmail.com Tweet us @k12techtalkpod Visit our Linke...
Aug 12, 2022•53 min•Ep. 84
It is the first week of August, you know what that means... People are showing up to school! We aren't finished with summer projects yet, but teachers are coming back... trying to get classrooms set up and killing our summer vibe! Josh is still cleaning up from his switch project, Mark is worried about students making it to school with the subway shut down, and Chris is worried about the Tyler/Infinite Campus ordeal. Don't forget to send us your questions for Tyler and Infinite Campus to answer....
Aug 05, 2022•49 min•Ep. 83
Chris and Josh hang out with David and Jonathan from Infoblox and unpack their IPAM, DNS, and DHCP management options as well as talk security. The guys mention the upcoming Infinite Campus/Tyler Technologies interview as well. Oh, and Mark is missed. Infoblox DDI Buyer's Guide Email us at k12techtalk@gmail.com Tweet us @k12techtalkpod Visit our LinkedIn page HERE . Hang out with us at K12TechPro.com Buy our merch!!! Visit our sponsor: Infoblox...
Jul 29, 2022•51 min•Ep. 82
Chris and Josh have returned from MidwestTechTalk and share their experiences. Meanwhile, Mark is in Idaho sampling the finest potatoes and riding horses, but he takes time to join the episode and share his thoughts on sub accounts and service account security. The biggest item of the week is the news that broke on 7/20/22. Tyler Technologies is suggesting all of their customers migrate to Infinite Campus after entering into an agreement with Infinite Campus. The guys share their early concerns ...
Jul 22, 2022•46 min•Ep. 81
Tonight's episode features an email from listener Bill about a recent DDOS attack on his school. The concerning thing about this attack is that it has happened twice in a week from the same IP address. He is worried they are trying to find his firewall's breaking point. The majority of this episode is dedicated to an interview with Shahryar Khazei. Shahryar is the former (retired) CIO of LA Unified Schools. He talks about his long career with LA Unified, some of the struggles and accomplishments...
Jul 15, 2022•57 min•Ep. 80
