Four reasons hackers target schools, colleges, and universities

Cyber-attacks on schools are on the rise. With 80% of higher education sites, 76% of secondary schools and 41% of primary schools being targeted with malware in the last 12 months, it is a growing concern.

But what makes education settings a prime target for these criminal attacks? Unlike large corporations, schools, colleges and universities are much smaller. They are also less likely to hold financial data, so you think they are safe from malicious strikes.

However, with entire school networks being affected, the simple answer is that education buildings are being targeted for their personal data. Schools might not have access to financial data, but they have hundreds and thousands of student, parent and staff personal records with information such as names, addresses and dates of birth.

These personal details can easily be misused and are valuable data to criminals, leaving schools a prime target for malicious malware, software intentionally designed to cause disruption and phishing emails intended to access personal information, and other cyber-attacks.

Here we explore some of the reasons hackers might target education facilities.

1. To sell personal data

Globally, there is a massive market for personal data on the dark web. With criminals only needing a name, address, and date of birth to make purchases online, organisations like schools are prime targets for criminals looking to acquire personal data.

2. Blackmailing schools to regain access to their resources

Once hackers have accessed a computer’s network, they can add in malicious code, preventing access to files and systems, and ultimately shutting staff and students out of the network. With vast amounts of lesson planning, student assignments, resources and school data stored online, any attack could disrupt the day-to-day functions of schools and lose thousands of files stored over several years. Hackers can therefore demand hefty ransoms to unlock the data. Unable to function without the information, schools have no option but to pay if they want to regain access to their systems.

3. Create fake identities

With a name, address and date of birth, criminals can create fake identities which can be used for anything from securing a loan to buying a car. As schools hold actual data for hundreds or even thousands of individuals, this personal information can be used to create for criminal purposes and is, therefore, valuable data that can be sold on the dark web.

4. Resell lists of data to maximise profit

Lists of personal information aren’t just sold once. Once hackers access valuable data, they will sell that information ten, even hundreds of times, meaning that your information has the potential to be misused thousands of times, making it harder to track all the illegitimate uses and a profitable business for successful hackers.

When it comes to cyber-attacks on schools, hackers are simply after one thing: personal data. The information stored on schools, colleges and university servers might not be financial or highly sensitive, but it is extremely valuable in the wrong hands.

Protecting the data you hold is a legal requirement under GDPR. It not only protects the individuals it relates to but the organisations that risk having their systems compromised and data lost through cyber attacks.

If you are worried your school isn’t doing enough to prevent a cyber-attack, or you would like to see how well your security measures stack up, Halchax offers a FREE Health Check Service for schools across the country.

Our IT experts will assess what you have in place currently to see how we can increase your security and make it safer for your school. We will work with you to get the best result within your school budget.

Halchax can offer advice about what you can do to keep your schools safe from cyber-attacks or incidents. We explain some of the primary cyber security risks schools face and how they could be targeted. We also offer ongoing support, online or in person, during times of uncertainty.

To book your FREE School Security Health Check get in touch today: 0330 102 7464 or info@halchax.co.uk