Welcome to the Term 2 In Brief newsletter. In this edition, learn how you can make the most of Web Filtering, discover how many emails were blocked by Email Protection last term and take a look at how N4L’s products and services can help your school in our latest video.
We’re sharing some exciting news about Secure Access and how Kapiti College is unlocking new ways of learning and teaching following their Equipment Replacement. We also have important updates on Windows 10 devices and Microsoft email policy.
If you have any questions or if there is anything we can help you with, please contact our Customer Support team on 0800 532 764 or [email protected].
Making the most of Web Filtering
Did you know you can choose to block access to entire categories (such as Social Networking) or individual websites (e.g. Facebook) across your school network?
Building your online safety toolbox
An in-depth look at the online safety tools and support available to NZ schools and kura, and how they work together to help protect ākonga.
Millions of emails blocked by Email Protection
Did you know 484,900,000 malicious and spam emails were blocked from reaching school inboxes last term, thanks to N4L’s Email Protection service? Even ones that impersonated school principals. Keep your school’s inboxes more secure with Email Protection.
Want to know more about what N4L can do for your school?
Watch this video to discover our range of products and services and how they come together to help make your school’s network safer and more secure.
Almost 1,000 schools are now more secure
With cyber threats becoming more sophisticated, schools need better ways to protect their networks. That’s why almost 1,000 schools have adopted Secure Access – a smarter way to manage who’s connected to their Wi-Fi – a significant leap forward in school network protection. With better tools, more control, and a smoother experience than ever before, Secure Access puts you on the front foot when it comes to digital safety and security.
Industry updates
Looking ahead: planning for life after Windows 10
Windows 10 will reach end of support on 14 October 2025, therefore no longer providing free updates and security patches. We strongly recommend schools conduct a device audit, plan upgrades for outdated dates (including those on Windows 7 or XP) or explore alternatives like ChromeOS Flex to avoid security risks.
Microsoft email policy changes affecting schools
Microsoft is the latest provider to implement stricter email security measures, joining Google, Yahoo and Xtra. These changes aim to combat email spoofing, phishing, and spam, ensuring a safer digital communication environment.
View the full update and our recommendations
Update: N4L’s Web Filtering not impacted by ECH
In Term Four last year, we got in touch about a privacy encryption method called Encrypted Client Hello (ECH) and the impact it had on N4L’s Web Filtering for websites with ECH enabled. We’ve since disabled ECH on our network, which means N4L’s Web Filtering should work as expected for all websites accessed on school networks, allowing or blocking websites according to your school’s Web Filtering settings.
Empowering education: How faster, more reliable internet transforms learning at Kapiti College
Since their Equipment Replacement upgrade in October 2024, which replaces school Wi-Fi equipment, Kapiti College is experiencing a faster, more seamless Wi-Fi connection – helping them unlock new ways of teaching and learning.
Events on the horizon
We have thoroughly enjoyed connecting at conferences so far this year. With more on the horizon, we’d love to see you at the below events. You can even try your hand at winning a morning tea voucher for your school!
New Zealand School Boards Association Conference
Friday 11 – Sunday 13 July | Te Pae Convention Centre, Christchurch
National Association of Secondary Deputy & Assistant Principals Conference
Wednesday 30 July – Friday 1 August | Takina Conference Centre, Wellington
New Zealand Principals Federation Conference
Monday 8 – Wednesday 10 September | Takina Conference Centre, Wellington
2.3B – Unsafe websites blocked
An attempt on the network to send users to malicious websites.
35M – Security threats blocked
An attempt to access a website that’s been blocked based on the category the website is associated with.
4.07PB – Website data usage
This is the total amount of data (in petabytes) used by schools across NZ throughout the term (for context, a normal website is roughly 3 megabytes).