Official announcements from the White House or involved organizations

Rhode Island First to Implement PDNS in All 64 School Districts, Shields 136,000 Students from Cyber Threats

Dec 13, 2024, 08:07 PM

Rhode Island has become the first state in the U.S. to implement Protective Domain Name Service (PDNS) across all its 64 public school districts. This initiative, launched by the White House Office of the National Cyber Director, aims to prevent ransomware and other cyber attacks by blocking access to harmful websites without user intervention. The move comes at a time when cyber threats against educational institutions are on the rise, with schools serving approximately 136,000 students in Rhode Island. The state's decision to adopt PDNS statewide was announced by White House National Cyber Director Harry Coker, Jr., highlighting the collaboration between federal, state, and local levels to safeguard educational data from evolving cyber threats.