The document summarizes the findings of a penetration test project conducted on the websites and applications of over 30 schools. It identifies over 240 critical vulnerabilities across the schools, including exposed personal data, outdated software with known vulnerabilities, and SQL injection issues. Recommendations include encouraging software vendors to provide ongoing patches, implementing regular vulnerability scanning, and ensuring systems and software are regularly updated to the latest versions. Best practices for schools outlined in the document include implementing firewalls, regular backups, web application firewalls, and security awareness training for practitioners.

1. Experience
Sharing on School
Pentest Project
Eric Fan
Chairman, eLearning Consortium

2. Agenda
 School Pentest Project
 Our Findings
 Recommendation
 Best Practice for School
 Look Forward in Year 2020

3. Objective
As an independent consultant in providing a series of
vulnerabilities scanning, penetration tests and reviews
for more then thirty K12 schools’ website security.
Identifying potential areas for further improvement to
protect school’s sensitive data and good will.
30+ Schools

4. What we do?
Automated
Scan
Manuel
Review
Debriefing
Meeting
Verify the can
result, eliminate
false-positives and
then execute
manual business
logic test.
Application
walkthrough and
threat analysis will
also be conducted
during this stage.
Report and analysis
for the automated
scan and manual
scanning result
with
recommendations.
Step 3Step 2Step 1
Configure and
execute automated
scan, followed by
test plan
development. Risk
assessment will
take place during
the test plan
development.

5. School Project Findings
20,000+PERSONAL
DATA RECORD
Including public, intranet, internal
applications of 30 schools
78APPLICATIONS
Including public, private,
primary and secondary
schools
30SCHOOLS
240+CRITICAL
VULNERABILITIES
Including email, name, HKID etc

6. 6,000+
Vulnerabilities
Vulnerability
Critical
4%
High
15%
Medium
30%
Low
51%

7. Overall Findings
0
100
200
300
400
500
600
700
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30
Critical High Medium Low

8. 185 325 33 39
XSS SQL Injection SSLV2 & V3 Password in Plaintext
Critical Vulnerabilities

9. Top Security Impact Vulnerabilities
Back Up File Impact
We found plain text database
login credential in the back up
file that may lead to
unauthorize login.
Allow an attacker to
compromise the application,
access or modify data, or
exploit latent vulnerabilities
in the underlying database.
SQL Injection
These outdated software or
operation systems cannot no longer
update to the latest patch that is
vulnerable to exploit
Unsupported Software / OS
Version
Allows anyone who can
read the file access to
the password-protected
resource.
Password In Plaintext

10. 22 16 11
Vendor
Solutions
School’s own
applications
Unsupported
Operation Systems
SQL Injection

11. SSL Cert
[CATEGORY
NAME]
[PERC
ENTAG
E]
[CATEGORY
NAME]
[PERC
ENTAG
E]

12. Recommendations
Reliable Vendor Solutions
Software and application
vendors should offer OS or
patch update for use to fix
their software and
application vulnerabilities.
Regular Scanning
Yearly or half-year
vulnerability scanning
and penetration test
is recommended
Regular Patch Operation
Systems
Regular review and
update the hardware and
application operation
systems to the latest
patch, in order to avoid
vulnerable malware and
exploits.
More info: Information Security in Schools - Recommended Practice (Jan 2019)
https://www.edb.gov.hk/en/edu-system/primary-secondary/applicable-to-primary-
secondary/it-in-edu/Information-Security/information-security-in-school.html

13. Best Practice for Information
Security in School
End Point Computer and Tablets
Firewall and IPS
Data Protection and Back Up
Regular vulnerability scanning and
penetration test
CloudFlare Web Application Firewall
File, DB, Email Servers
Anti-Virus and Anti-Ramsomware
Back Up Storage
Cloud Service Provider
Regular patch update and backup
Prevent SQL Injection and web
security attack
Deny malicious traffic and file download
More info: Information Security in Schools - Recommended Practice (Jan 2019)
https://www.edb.gov.hk/en/edu-system/primary-secondary/applicable-to-primary-
secondary/it-in-edu/Information-Security/information-security-in-school.html

14. Look Forward in Year 2020
MEET WITH THE
STAKEHOLDERS
To seek resources
for the education
sector on
CyberSecurity
TRAINING TO
PRACTITIONER
Provide training to
the education
practitioner on
cybersecurtiy BEST PRACTICE
Regular update on
education specific
security incident
and best practice

15. Thank you!