Valtara Parish Schools
Vigilus helped a public education network identify high-risk security gaps across endpoints, user access, and Active Directory.
Industries
Cybersecurity
Services
Assessment,
Cyber Security
Platforms
Not specified
About the project
In the wake of ransomware incidents affecting public-sector organizations, a regional public school system asked Vigilus to assess its security posture. The client needed clear answers about whether user access levels were properly secured and whether software updates were being performed often enough to reduce risk.
The environment was broad and complex, with many endpoints, subnets, account types, and legacy systems. The assessment needed to show what an attacker could realistically access within the approved scope while giving the client a practical, understandable view of the issues that required attention.
What we did
- Vigilus performed an authorized internal security assessment across 33 subnets. Using client-provided devices and test accounts with different access levels, the team evaluated how far an attacker could move through the environment. We scanned endpoints and network services for outdated software, exposed services, and known vulnerabilities. When scanning created stress on legacy hardware, we adjusted scan timing to reduce bandwidth impact while still completing the assessment. The team also tested Active Directory security, privilege escalation paths, and credential resilience. During the assessment, Vigilus demonstrated a path from a low-privilege account to domain administrator access and cracked 96% of the credential hashes obtained during testing. These findings showed the client where serious weaknesses existed before they could be exploited by a real attacker. At the end of the project, the client received a detailed 19-page report. Findings were organized for leadership, IT stakeholders, and technical staff, giving the school system a clearer view of its highest-priority risks and a stronger foundation for improving its security posture.
