Cyberattacks are on the rise nationwide, and hackers don’t target just individuals. Hackmageddon reports a number of universities and higher education institutions have been victims of cyberattacks in 2022 — ransomware being the most common cyber threat among universities and community colleges.
While hackers have attacked 87% of educational institutions, only 64% of those institutions have cybersecurity insurance.
So, why aren’t universities and community colleges more concerned about cybersecurity?
The recovery costs alone should be reason enough to ensure cybersecurity is a top priority for educational institutions worldwide.
The Importance of Cybersecurity in the Education Industry
According to Microsoft Security Intelligence, the education industry suffered from 64% of all malware attacks (6.2 million cyberattacks) in 2021). With this increase in cyber threats, the education sector must pay close attention to cybersecurity.
The statistics for phishing attacks are equally alarming:
- Phishing attacks have fooled 30% of staff and students.
- Cyberattacks like phishing cause 90% of data security breaches.
- One-third of education staff admit to falling for phishing scams.
Here are more examples of critical cybersecurity breaches in 2022:
- At North Carolina A&T State University, a ransomware attack occurred during spring break.
- At North Orange County Community College District, a destructive data breach exposed students’ and employees’ personal identifiable information (PII).
- Ohlone Community College District in California reported ransomware attacks.
- Nebraska’s Midland University suffered cyber threats, resulting in ransomware attacks.
High Costs of Compromised Cybersecurity
Ransomware attacks are the most common kind of cyberattack in the education industry. On average, ransomware attack costs can exceed $100,000 for higher education institutions — and that’s just for the ransom money!
After a ransom attack, the recovery costs for private universities can reach millions of dollars.
How To Protect Your Educational Institution
In 1974, legislation made the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) a federal law to protect students’ PII and educational records.
Higher education institutions must ensure the protection of the data privacy and PII of students, staff and faculty. Here are some suggestions to get your cybersecurity efforts started:
- Incorporate IT solutions, protection plans and cybersecurity insurance.
- Maintain a secure remote learning environment.
- Require regular maintenance and software updates.
- Teach staff and students how to identify cyber threats.
- Choose a reliable and experienced IT support system to protect your students from cyberattacks.
For even greater security, ensure you update your servers regularly. Why? Access to backup data reduces the time it takes your institution to recover.
IT Services for Education
At CMIT Solutions, we understand the importance of cybersecurity in the education industry. Our experienced IT support team will assist your university or community college with the security your students and staff require to protect their PII and records.
We focus on the fundamentals of cybersecurity to keep your students and staff safe from costly cyberattacks.
Most importantly, CMIT Solutions provides around-the-clock monitoring for added security.
CMIT Solutions specializes in the following services:
- Protecting students’ PII and sensitive information
- Improving security to keep up with technological advancements
- Securing networks with up-to-date protection plans and security strategies
- Providing staff with 24/7 IT support
[Related: 8 Eye-Opening Statistics About Cybersecurity in Education]
Contact CMIT Solutions of Richardson
CMIT Solutions of Richardson is here to help your school remain safe, secure and informed when it comes to cybersecurity and sensitive student data. Our reliable IT support services offer the best solutions in data defense and quick recovery.
Contact us today to get started with your customized security solution and protection plan. We’ll help protect your students and staff from ever-present cyber threats.
Featured image via Unsplash
