A lesson in unifying cybersecurity
The IT team at St James Schools was on a mission to unify the school estate’s entire technology infrastructure – including its cybersecurity. Fragmented network security, inefficient configurations, and weak web filtering were putting hundreds of pupils at risk and undermining the schools’ critically acclaimed nursery, junior, and senior school learning environment. The challenges included:
- Safeguarding digital learning: Protecting sensitive pupil and staff data against malware, ransomware, phishing, and other threats.
- Meeting the AI security challenge: To capitalise on the breakthrough opportunities of AI in education, the schools needed visibility into pupil activity in GenAI apps.
- Reducing complexity: Legacy, siloed network security had gaps and was difficult to maintain.
- Providing cost-effective digital learning: Ensuring the school estate could deliver strong, secure digital performance without escalating operational costs.
“We are very excited by the long-term partnership that we have struck with Palo Alto Networks. The platform is a cornerstone of our cybersecurity posture as we navigate the AI revolution.”
– William Wyatt
Chief Operating Officer, St James Schools
Extending zero trust to the browser
The organisation’s first step was to replace its legacy network security solution with Palo Alto Networks Next-Generation Firewalls (NGFWs), managed using Strata Cloud Manager. This dashboard-based management platform provides the lean security team with a single interface for managing the firewalls – including the crucial web content filtering – and enhancing its security posture.
With browser-based teaching becoming the norm in the classroom, St James Schools is also deploying Prisma Browser to give pupils and staff secure access to web, SaaS, GenAI, and private applications on any device. This extends consistent, best-in-class security to personally owned devices – an area often overlooked by traditional security measures.
Nevena comments, “Thanks to the exceptional work by our consulting partner Academia, we became one of the first organisations in the country to deploy Prisma Browser. For the first time, pupils and teachers have safe, consistent access to GenAI, SaaS, and private applications on whichever device they choose.”
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Enables trusted, frictionless browser-based learning
With Prisma Browser, St James Schools benefits from advanced antiphishing and malware detection. The organisation’s 600 users are protected from bad actors and malicious websites by the browser itself, enhancing security and minimising exposure to threats.
With AI learning and teaching proliferating across the schools, Prisma Browser is crucial in detecting risky behaviour and providing inline coaching. For example, it can warn pupils if they attempt to share personal data with an AI tool, nudge them towards safer AI use, and enforce age-appropriate access to AI platforms. It delivers comprehensive protection to St James Schools through three integrated capability areas – Web Protection, Extension Security Controls, and Advanced Browser Protection – effectively neutralising zero-day exploits, reassembly attacks, AI phishing, and malicious extensions.
“Prisma Browser turns the browser into a teaching tool as well as a security layer,” explains Ty Collins, IT Manager, St James Schools. It’s unique because it gives us zero trust and threat prevention right inside the browser. This deep visibility and data protection has no negative impact at all on the user experience.”
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Streamlines security management
By standardising on a single consolidated cybersecurity platform versus the previous disparate approach, St James Schools benefits from lean, agile security management. The unified dashboard provides the schools with AI-based troubleshooting and policy enforcement.
For example, using Strata Cloud Manager, the team can manage the entire network security infrastructure and Prisma Browser solution from a single screen.
“We can achieve so much without leaving the application, such as updates to firewalls, configurations, and policies. Plus, we can see the sites our users are accessing and decide on the appropriate site access for URL categories and specific sites,” comments Nevena.
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Reduces security overhead
With every education budget under intense scrutiny, the consolidated platform allows the team to cost-effectively optimise security configuration, streamline day-to-day administration, and lower risk.
For example, Prisma Browser is designed to feel like Google Chrome or Microsoft Edge. The organisations benefits from minimal performance overhead and full compatibility with modern web apps.
“Prisma Browser will undoubtedly reduce potential friction for users and increase adoption,” says Nevena.
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Seamless remote access with a unified platform
The unified platform approach ensures all users, whether on-site or remote, benefit from enhanced, consistent, and proactive security – a cornerstone of St James Schools commitment to safeguarding its pupils in an evolving digital learning environment.
“GlobalProtect for our virtual private network (VPN) has been great, and it’s made user set up for remote access a breeze,” says Ty. “It’s now also significantly easier for us to see traffic and troubleshoot those remote connections.”
He continues: “The Palo Alto Networks Next-Generation Firewall works really well in concert with our Securly blocking as it provides an additional, arguably more consistently updated, set of categories to block content with, which is always there as a backup if needed.”
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Proactive expert support
St James Schools benefits from a close collaborative partnership with Academia, its IT consulting partner. Academia has helped to enable the organisation to rapidly onboard a transformative browser security platform.
“Academia is a true partner to us. They possess unrivalled experience in the education sector and deliver exceptional support – whatever the scenario,” says William Wyatt, Chief Operating Officer, St James Schools.
Nick Murphy, Cyber Security BDM at Academia, adds: “As a key partner for the UK education sector, our particular commercial approach positioned us to work closely with St James Schools. We were able to offer them appropriate guidance and help them ensure a seamless deployment of Prisma Browser.”
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