
K12 Tech Talk
A K12TechPro Podcast. This podcast is about trending K12 technology topics and issues. Josh, Chris, and Mark have real conversations, real arguments, and real banter on IT issues and trends in K12 Schools. Current and Past Sponsors: Absolute, HPE Aruba Networking, Blocksi, ClassLink, CTL, Eaton, Extreme Networks, Fortinet, Howard Technology Solutions, iDoc, Infoblox, INVZBL, Jupiter Education, K12TechPro, Luma Technologies, Managed Methods, MidwestTechTalk, NTP, Papercut, Provision Data Solutions, Pondurance, PowerGistics, Prey, Rise Vision, Ruckus/Commscope, SaferWatch, Scale Computing, SHI, StatusGator, SomethingCool.com, Tripp Lite, Verkada, VIZOR
Latest episodes

Jul 22, 2023 • 51min
Episode 127 - Josh Gets a Bobblehead
We are tired and worn out! Mark and Chris spent the early part of the week at MidwestTechTalk and they are worn out. Josh is tired from working a full week after being gone for 2 weeks to ALASKA. Mark and Chris recap the MidwestTechTalk conference and Mark shares his observations about Missouri. We talk about the recent Class Action Lawsuit filed against Securly alleging that they sold student data to a 3rd party. We dream and brainstorm about what IoT devices we could see in classrooms over the next 5-10 years. Finally, Chris gives a bit more clarity on the relationships between K12TechPro and the k12sysadmin subreddit.
Listen here (and on all major podcast platforms).
Join the K12TechPro.com Community.
Buy our merch!!!
HPE/Aruba - Email jeff.cobb@hpe.com
Fortinet - Email fortinetpodcast@fortinet.com
Extreme Networks - Email dmayer@extremenetworks.com
NTP
SomethingCool.com
Oh, and...
Email us at k12techtalk@gmail.com
Tweet us @k12techtalkpod
Visit our LinkedIn page HERE

Jul 14, 2023 • 39min
Episode 126 - Josh Goes to Alaska
In this episode, Josh talks about Alaska. The guys talk about other things too, but mostly Josh talks about Alaska. Chris was probably supposed to post some additional links in the description, but he doesn't remember them... he only remembers Josh talking about Alaska.
FCC Announcement about Cyber Security Funding
AI generated images for every state (article referenced during the episode)
Listen here (and on all major podcast platforms).
Join the K12TechPro.com Community.
Buy our merch!!!
HPE/Aruba - Email jeff.cobb@hpe.com
Fortinet - Email fortinetpodcast@fortinet.com
Extreme Networks - Email dmayer@extremenetworks.com
NTP
SomethingCool.com
Oh, and...
Email us at k12techtalk@gmail.com
Tweet us @k12techtalkpod
Visit our LinkedIn page HERE

Jun 30, 2023 • 29min
Episode 125 - Interview with Christy Wyatt, Absolute CEO
This is a special episode. We interview Christy Wyatt, the CEO of Absolute.
Listen here (and on all major podcast platforms).
Join the K12TechPro.com Community.
K12 Tech Talk Absolute Resource Links
Absolute Research Reports
Absolute for Education/K12
Oh, and...
Email us at k12techtalk@gmail.com
Tweet us @k12techtalkpod
Visit our LinkedIn page HERE

Jun 23, 2023 • 36min
Episode 124 - A Fish Too Far?
Chris, Josh, and Mark discuss the recent news that Fairfax County Public Schools sent teachers an appreciation email that ended up being a phishing test (Washington Post article), and they debate on if it was right or wrong to do. Too far maybe? Chris talks about setting up restricted Google access as well as doing the "under 18 third party apps" Google stuff, and the articles about both on K12TechPro, and Josh talks about some phrase he found on the internet that is thought provoking about cybersecurity supposedly.
Listen here (and on all major podcast platforms).
Join the K12TechPro.com Community.
Buy our merch!!!
Provision Data Solutions
Fortinet - Email fortinetpodcast@fortinet.com
Extreme Networks - Email dmayer@extremenetworks.com
NTP
SomethingCool.com
Oh, and...
Email us at k12techtalk@gmail.com
Tweet us @k12techtalkpod
Visit our LinkedIn page HERE

Jun 16, 2023 • 41min
Episode 123 - Are Passkeys Necessary?
In this episode, we talk about the MoveIT vulnerability and the recent Fortinet SSL VPN vulnerability. The majority of the episode is spent covering the various versions of MFA, including a deep dive into what Passkeys are. If you are a Google Workspace school district, you should take note and enable the option for Passkey MFA. We talk about disabling IMAP for Gmail as a step to enhance email security. Josh talks about his fiber project that is now underway.
BleepingComputer article about Fortinet SSLVPN issue
CISA press release about MoveIT
Listen here (and on all major podcast platforms).
Join the K12TechPro.com Community.
Buy our merch!!!
Managed Methods - free Google Workspace and/or Microsoft 365 security audit
Fortinet - Email fortinetpodcast@fortinet.com
Extreme Networks - Email dmayer@extremenetworks.com
VIZOR
SomethingCool.com
Oh, and...
Email us at k12techtalk@gmail.com
Tweet us @k12techtalkpod
Visit our LinkedIn page HERE

Jun 9, 2023 • 41min
Episode 122 - Can You Pass a Cybersecurity Assessment?
Josh is on vacation, so it's the Chris and Mark Show! We discuss Microsoft OneDrive being down, the upcoming MidwestTechTalk conference, and most of the episode is spent taking the K12 Six cybersecurity self-assessment.
Listen here (and on all major podcast platforms).
Join the K12TechPro.com Community.
Buy our merch!!!
Managed Methods - free Google Workspace and/or Microsoft 365 security audit
Fortinet - Email fortinetpodcast@fortinet.com
Extreme Networks - Email dmayer@extremenetworks.com
NTP
SomethingCool.com
Oh, and...
Email us at k12techtalk@gmail.com
Tweet us @k12techtalkpod
Visit our LinkedIn page HERE

Jun 2, 2023 • 49min
Episode 121 - Student MFA?!?!
In this episode, we talk about the possibility of requiring Student MFA (thanks to a k12sysadmin post). We also talk about Chris prepping for his network admin to retire and the "brain dump" process they are undertaking. Finally, we talk about the recently announced change to "3rd Party Apps" authentication with Google SSO. This change takes effect on October 23rd, 2023 and will cause issues. The time to act is now... DON'T WAIT!
An article we wrote on K12TechPro with 3rd Party Apps instructions is here.
Google article is here... https://support.google.com/a/answer/13289151
Listen here (and on all major podcast platforms).
Join the K12TechPro.com Community.
Buy our merch!!!
Managed Methods - free Google Workspace and/or Microsoft 365 security audit
Fortinet - Email fortinetpodcast@fortinet.com
Extreme Networks - Email dmayer@extremenetworks.com
NTP
SomethingCool.com
Oh, and...
Email us at k12techtalk@gmail.com
Tweet us @k12techtalkpod
Visit our LinkedIn page HERE

May 26, 2023 • 1h 7min
Episode 120 - Chris Sleeps This One Out
Chis is off napping somewhere so it is the Mark and Josh show.
They recap the recently released "CoSN 2023 State of EdTech Leadership Survey" that was released this week. They go over 11 key findings and trends that came out of the study. Some might surprised you.
Mark talks about figured out how to block international logins to Google Workspace accounts. Hint - he made a full writeup on the K12 Tech Pro Community
The guys also talk about the newly refreshed #StopRansomware Report from CISA/FBI.
Finally there is a quick interview with Jeff and Dean from VIZOR about what Vizor can do for your district
Buy our merch!!!
VIZOR
Managed Methods - free Google Workspace and/or Microsoft 365 security audit
Fortinet - Email fortinetpodcast@fortinet.com
Extreme Networks - Email dmayer@extremenetworks.com
NTP
SomethingCool.com
Oh, and...
Email us at k12techtalk@gmail.com
Tweet us @k12techtalkpod

May 19, 2023 • 51min
Episode 119 - An Interview with Lucas from PIRG
We quickly talk about the SchoolDude breach and Keepass's newly announced CVE. The majority of the episode is an interview with Lucas from PIRG. Lucas is the author of the study we referenced a few weeks ago in the episode "Chromebooks are Evil?." The study looks at "Chromebook Churn" and e-waste created by device usage. After that episode a few weeks ago, Lucas reached out to us to clarify a few points of the study. So, we invited him on to make those clarifications to our listeners. We had an interesting discussion with Lucas, and came away agreeing on more points than we disagree.
Article that Mark refers to - Why do we replace our laptops every few years?
Listen here (and on all major podcast platforms).
Join the K12TechPro.com Community.
Buy our merch!!!
Managed Methods - free Google Workspace and/or Microsoft 365 security audit
Fortinet - Email fortinetpodcast@fortinet.com
Extreme Networks - Email dmayer@extremenetworks.com
NTP
SomethingCool.com
Oh, and...
Email us at k12techtalk@gmail.com
Tweet us @k12techtalkpod
Visit our LinkedIn page HERE

May 12, 2023 • 35min
Episode 118 - The Gang Finally Meets
🎶Together and it feels so good...🎵
We are all together for the first time at the New Hampshire CTO Clinic! First and foremost, we thank Barbara and the committee for inviting us and making the trip possible - We had a blast!
We got to hang out with the fine folks of the "Live Free or Die" State and talk all things K12 technology. The key topics were cybersecurity and data privacy. We had a chance to interview Pam and Josh, two of the driving forces behind New Hampshire's outstanding Student Data Privacy standards. We also interview Neal who everyone says "Neal is the State's cyber guy!"
Listen here (and on all major podcast platforms).
Join the K12TechPro.com Community.
Buy our merch!!!
Managed Methods
Fortinet - Email fortinetpodcast@fortinet.com
Extreme Networks - Email dmayer@extremenetworks.com
NTP
SomethingCool.com
Oh, and...
Email us at k12techtalk@gmail.com
Tweet us @k12techtalkpod