Cyber Attacks On The British Education Sector Trending

Uploaded on 2024-05-13 in NEWS-Cybersecurity News, FREE TO VIEW

In an era where technology underpins almost every facet of the educational landscape, the spectre of cyber threats and attacks has become common in educational institutions.

From social engineering attacks to sophisticated ransomware, education institutions are increasingly under attack from cyber criminal hackers.

Cyber security in higher education is not just a matter of safeguarding data, it is about protecting the integrity of educational systems and maintaining the trust of students, faculty, and stakeholders.

Recently there has been a release of worrying new figures from the UK Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) which show that 347 cyber incidents were reported in the education and childcare sector in 2023, which is an increase of 55% on 2022.

UK Government data says that most schools , universities and colleges have identified a cyber-security breach in the past year. It has been said that these problems have led to temporary closures and weeks of disruption.

Universities: Universities in the UK are common targets for cyberattackers, as they are typically associated with research facilities. These facilities often house personally identifiable data, such as full names or email addresses, making them a valuable target for cyber criminals. In addition to personally identifiable information, these research institutions may also store private research data, making them more attractive than other institutions that collect data.

Higher education institutions face unique challenges in terms of cybersecurity. With high turnover rates, budget constraints and an onboarding of thousands of students each year, the security of intellectual property can be unintentionally neglected.

The UK education sector has been a target for the past few years and recent data confirms that hackers tactics are changing and that the education sector is not keeping up with the new attack techniques. The 2024 Global Threat Report from SonicWall has identified that, in a global comparison over the last year, the UK education sector has been markedly more vulnerable to attack across several critical sectors.

Comparison Britain Global

Cryptojacking +8439% +2028%
Iot Malware +128% +268%
Encryped Attacks   +3713% +429%
   Malware    -16% -3%
  Ransomare    -77% -70%

“Schools and universities are huge powerhouses of data which hold incredibly sensitive information, making them a likely target for hackers. Educational institutions often have relatively weaker cyber security measures compared to other sectors because they have limited budgets and resources allocated to cybersecurity" Spencer Starkey VP of EMEA at SonicWall commented.

The education sector is a vital part of the British economy and has an important social role. Students their teachers and parents need to be able to trust that their sensitive information is kept secure.

A spokesperson for the ICO data regulator said that their data suggests that cyber threats are increasing year on year, adding that there is "a wealth of free advice and resources" available to support schools with keeping their systems secure.

Image: Unpslash

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