Did you know that Educational institutions are one of the top targets for cybercriminals? According to Check Point’s Mid-Year Report for 2022, the education sector witnessed a staggering 44% surge in cyber attacks compared to the previous year.

This equates to an average of 2300 weekly attacks directed at educational organizations alone!

These figures paint a sad picture of critical vulnerabilities within the educational sector as the entities here hold a treasure trove of sensitive information but often come short when it comes to keeping the data safe.

On this page, we will explain why the education industry is a soft target for cyber attacks. We will also share a few tips for the players in this sector to weather the storms.

Why is the Education Industry a Target for Cyber Attacks?

The escalation of cyber threats within the education sector has certainly metamorphosed into a major concern. According to Sophos’ The State of Ransomware in Education 2023, 80% of lower education institutions and 79% of higher education bodies had fallen victim to ransomware attacks in the preceding year.

But, this may be conservative. Reports in October 2022 suggested a 93% increase in cyber attacks targeting the UK education sector over the previous 12 months. So, why is the education industry increasingly getting targeted in cyber attacks? Here are three possible explanations;

• Research by Universities

Universities consistently conduct valuable research that leads to cutting-edge intellectual property worth millions. Failing to prioritize cybersecurity exposes this research to theft or ransomware attacks.

Here’s where the cyber attacks come in. If the criminals manage to steal the research data and other sensitive pieces of information, they may demand ransom to prevent data destruction or leakage.

• Sensitive Data held by Educational Organizations

Let’s face it, educational organizations retain vast databases of personal data. From kindergarten to higher education, there is a tissue trove of information these institutions are trusted with.

Larger institutions, while having more data, often struggle with cybersecurity. This may be attributed to organizational challenges, which still only make them lucrative targets for cybercriminals.

• Budget Constraints

The sector also faces budget constraints which often affect the adoption of modern cybersecurity solutions. Public schools for example are constrained by government funding.

So, they often deprioritize cybersecurity in favor of salaries, resources, and infrastructure. What’s more, many educational institutions still heavily rely on outdated technology, with limited resources, despite growing institution sizes.

Unfortunately, these leave them even more vulnerable to attacks. A perfect example is Lincoln College. The institution succumbed to ransomware attacks which ultimately led to its closure due to existing budgetary strains made worse by the cyber incident.

What are the 6 Tips of Cyber Security Awareness for the Educational Industry?

Cybersecurity is crucial in education due to the industry’s rapid digital expansion. COVID-19 accelerated online learning and this created the surge in reliance on digital platforms.

With this increased reliance on digital platforms, educational institutions became even more vulnerable to cyber threats. Noticing this, savvy cybercriminals turned their focus to the educational industry with the key aim of exploiting risk profiles. 

From the students to teachers and staff, everyone has a role to play in safeguarding the sensitive information that the hackers are after. Here are six tips for cybersecurity awareness that everyone in the educational industry must follow in 2024 going forward;

1. Implement SSL Certificates

Educational institutions are some of the slowest when it comes to adopting new technology. But safeguarding digital privacy isn’t something to put on hold.

If you run an educational institution and have moved most of your services online, see to it that you secure your website connections with SSL certificates. SSL encrypts data transmission.

This way, they deter hackers from accessing sensitive information like personal details, passwords, and financial data. Now, there are so many SSL certificate options so it is easy to feel a little overwhelmed, especially if you’re a first timer.

For educational institutions, Extended Validation (EV) SSL should provide enough security and credibility. And they don’t cost much. If you’re on a tight budget and want to secure a domain and several subdomains, go for a cheap wildcard SSL certificate like those on offer at Cheap SSL Shop.

2. Beware of Phishing Attacks

Phishing attacks can be very deceptive. So, you will want to educate staff to be able to identify phishing emails.

This can be easy to do as simply verifying the sender’s authenticity and checking for spelling errors or unusual requests. You may also need to put guidelines like never sharing confidential data via email without verifying the legitimacy of the request.

Also, phishing emails tend to contain deceptive links which may lead to malware-infected websites. So, you may also want to put regulations against clicking links from unknown sources.

3. Monitor Admin Access

Unregulated admin access can lead to database compromises. Depending on the nature of an attack, database compromise may leave the doors ajar to breaches and exposure of sensitive information.

To avoid such incidents, control and limit admin access within your institution’s network. Also, maintain a record of logins and restrict access privileges to trusted personnel. 

4. Regularly Back Up Data

Cyber threats are evolving with every new day. So no one is safe and despite our best efforts, there is always a risk of a cyber attack.

Your best defense in such cases is proper data backup of sensitive data. The backed-up data will come in handy when you need to recover information lost during an attack.

5. Put in Place Strong Password Policies

Passwords are often a weak link even in the most secure environments. This is particularly true considering that now, there are advanced password-cracking tools that the bad guys could use to crack open even some of the hardest-to-guess passwords.

For weaker passwords, techniques like brute force attacks could be enough to compromise educational infrastructure. To stay a step ahead, provide unique and strong passwords to students and staff. You may also want to discourage personal passwords and insist on regular password changes.

6. Establish an IT Department

It isn’t easy to run the affairs of the school and still take care of the technical aspects. So to improve security, invest in an IT department.

The department will be responsible for network security, software updates, anti-virus installations, firewalls, and SSL management. Also, put in place identity and access management solutions to enhance security and productivity by controlling access privileges.

7. Bonus: Train your Staff in Cybersecurity

To raise awareness of potential cyber threats like Man-in-the-Middle (MiTM), ransomware and brute force attacks, it would be best to also invest in training for your staff. You will want to conduct regular cybersecurity training sessions for all employees so they do not forget the basics.

For savvy business owners, well-trained staff serves as an extra layer of protection against cyber threats. They cannot only help you recognize but also mitigate potential risks to stop the cybercriminals in their tracks.

It’s a Wrap!

Cybersecurity tips isn’t a one-time thing. With threats ever-evolving, you will want to stay ahead of the bad guys to remain cyber-fit. Don’t take chances; safeguard your institution today to protect your investment and the reputation you’ve already built!

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