Nearly Three-Quarters of UK Education Orgs Have Sustained Cyberattacks
73% of educational institutions in the UK have sustained at least one cyberattack or breach in the past five years, according to researchers at ESET.
Additionally, a fifth of these organizations said they’ve experienced three or more cyberattacks. 43% of the organizations surveyed cited phishing attacks as their top concern.
Infosecurity Magazine quotes Spencer Strakey, Executive VP of EMEA at cyber security provider SonicWall, as saying that educational institutions hold a wealth of data that can be used to launch further social engineering attacks.
“For cybercriminals, schools are powerhouses of data which hold incredibly sensitive information,” Strakey said. “Hackers can use the data for two different attack types: phishing and financial crime”
Jake Moore, Global Cybersecurity Advisor at ESET, commented, “Education organisations are sitting on a ticking time bomb. While it’s clear that the sector recognises the critical importance of cybersecurity, there is a huge disconnect between budget allocation, lack of insurance and its misconceptions, and inadequate measures, which is leaving institutions highly vulnerable.
A comprehensive strategy that includes both cutting-edge security tools, like managed detection and response, and appropriate insurance coverage, is essential to protect against potentially devastating financial and operational impacts.”
Moore added, “These findings underscore the urgent need for education organisations to adopt a more robust and integrated approach to cybersecurity. Institutions can better safeguard their operations, staff, and students, by increasing investment, educating stakeholders, implementing advanced solutions, enhancing training, and collaborating with specialised providers.”
New-school security awareness training can give your organization an essential layer of defense against phishing and other social engineering attacks. KnowBe4 empowers your workforce to make smarter security decisions every day. Over 70,000 organizations worldwide trust the KnowBe4 platform to strengthen their security culture and reduce human risk.
Infosecurity Magazine has the story.
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