Cybercriminals are intensifying attacks on the global education and research sector. The average educational institution has reported over 3,000 attacks per week, marking a 37% increase compared to 2023. The most threatened system is in India, with approximately 7,000 attacks. In Europe, cybercriminals most frequently target education and research systems in the UK, Italy, Germany, and Portugal. Polish education sector is also experiencing a significant number of attacks warns Check Point Software Technologies.
Targets of hacker attacks on Polish universities in 2024 included the University of Zielona Góra, Radio Zachód, and the oldest non-public university in Bydgoszcz – the University of Economy. The case was investigated by the District Prosecutor’s Office in Zielona Góra, and preliminary investigations suggest the attacks involved system changes which led to the blocking of information transmission. Responsible for the attacks is believed to be a Russian hacker group, Akira.
In 2023, the War Art Academy fell victim to a massive cyberattack by the CyberTriad, a group associated with Russia, just before the NATO summit in Vilnius. The hackers stole sensitive data related to the Polish defense system and encrypted the university computers, causing the entire system to fail.
The awareness of attack threats increased among the Polish school faculty in February 2024 after a popular teachers’ forum was targeted. The portal reported an unauthorized access to user personal data and warned of possible phishing attacks.
“Cybercriminals, having obtained data, can sell it, demand a ransom, or use it for other criminal activities such as credit fraud. Education and research, among others, are a source of confidential knowledge, research, and resources that can interest companies, countries, international organizations. Educational and government agencies are ultimately the largest employers – organizations employing many people where the likelihood of a successful attack on a user, the weakest link in the security system, can prove effective,” observes Wojciech Głażewski, Check Point Software’s country manager in Poland. He notes that over 90% of successful attacks on company systems are due to human error.
Educational institutions are among the primary targets for hackers and cybercriminals, alongside healthcare, finance, and retail settings. Schools and universities hold vast quantities of personal data, making them highly attractive to cybercriminals. Unlike businesses primarily dealing with employee data, educational institutions have to manage vast amounts of data for both employees and students. Complicated network structures, lack of proper security measures, diversity of devices, and means of network access create prime conditions for cyberattacks.
Students often lack awareness about cyber threats, further intensifying the risk profile. They bring their devices to school and campuses, use public Wi-Fi, and work remotely from locations with low security levels, making educational networks more susceptible to attacks.
Educational institutions often become the target for ransomware attacks. According to cybersecurity experts, nearly 8 in 10 educational institutions recorded such attacks in the past year, where hackers sought confidential data. To access educational institution resources, criminals frequently use fake emails, phishing messages, or exploit university security vulnerabilities. Fortunately, in most cases, the data was recovered.
The most vulnerable region appears to be Asia Pacific (APAC), with an average of 6,002 attacks per organization per week. Meanwhile, North America has noted the most significant year-on-year increase in the number of attacks, amounting to 127%.
India, with a result of 6,874 attacks per week per organization, is the most vulnerable country, experiencing a 97% rise compared to the previous year. The rapid development of remote learning and education digitization in India has created new opportunities for cybercriminals who target both schools and universities to obtain personal sensitive data.
In Europe, cybercriminals most frequently attack the education and research systems in the UK, Italy, Germany, and Portugal, with an average of 2,804 attacks for the entire continent, marking an 18% increase from last year.
Check Point analysts estimate that all Polish organizations experienced an average of about 1,900 cyberattacks per single organization in August this year, with education being among the most exposed sectors.
Before the start of the school year, Check Point Research observed an increase in the number of malicious domains related to education. In July 2024, 12,234 new English-language domains related to schools were created, of which one in 45 turned out to be malicious or suspicious. Many of these domains were used in phishing campaigns that utilized file names related to school activities to lure victims.
The swelling number of cyberattacks on the education sector underscores the urgency to implement more advanced cybersecurity measures. Schools, universities, and research institutes need to understand that they are at the frontline of cybercrime and adapt their defense strategies accordingly to protect sensitive data and ensure operational continuity.
Check Point Research emphasizes that the growing number of attacks on the education sector indicates that these institutions are now at the center of cybercriminals’ interest. Given the severity of these threats, decisive action is needed to raise awareness and enhance cybersecurity measures in these institutions.
Source: https://managerplus.pl/edukacja-pod-ostrzalem-cyberprzestepcow-rok-2024-przynosi-rekordowa-liczbe-atakow-w-europie-wzrost-o-18-proc
