Education is one of the most targeted industries for cybercrime globally. In fact, organisations face a staggering average of 3,086 attacks every week – more than any other sector. This crisis in digital safety will only grow unless cybersecurity is prioritised.
Many schools operate on a patchwork of old and new technology, with legacy systems that are difficult to update and inherently more vulnerable. These outdated infrastructures create security gaps, which cybercriminals actively exploit. In an age of artificial intelligence (AI) – where cybercriminals use the tech to enhance their tactics – the threat looms even larger.
The consequences of a cyberattack on a school can be drastic, impacting real lives with disrupted learning and distress for students, parents and staff. Earlier this year, classes at the Netherlands’ Eindhoven University of Technology were cancelled after hackers were able to breach the university’s networks.
Schools need to treat cybersecurity like it is the most important test they’ll ever take and embrace a holistic approach to defence that ensures they get an A* every time.
Back to basics
The fundamentals of security start with the understanding that cybercriminals are always inventing new ways to attack, always becoming more sophisticated and always just around the corner. Failure to recognise this means the education sector has become a primary target. More than a third (34%) of schools and colleges in England have experienced a cyber incident in the last academic year.
Several factors contribute to the rising threat. For one, schools hold extensive personal data, including student records, financial details and staff information, making them an appealing target for all types of attacks including ransomware, phishing scams and data breaches.
Limited IT budgets and expertise have resulted in an unfortunate combination of mismatched outdated digital systems for administration, communication and learning plus a lack of dedicated IT security personnel.
There is also the fact that schools face the unique challenge of BYOD risks since students and staff often use their own laptops and phones for work (as opposed to company-issued devices). BYOD sets up a myriad of endpoints outside of a school’s security hub, meaning it is impossible to monitor all devices. Experts agree that “bring your own device (BYOD) risk is one thing in a corporate environment, but it’s an entirely different beast at schools”.
The AI conundrum
The rise of AI is also changing the game for cybersecurity. On the one hand, AI lowers the barriers of entry for cybercriminals. It enables them to craft more convincing phishing attacks, create deepfakes, automate malware design and evolve their tactics at an accelerated pace. Gartner said in a recent study, “malicious actors are exploiting generative AI to launch attacks at machine speed.”
At the same time, AI will play a critical role in protecting the education sector. Institutions should integrate a multi-layered cybersecurity approach that includes AI tools to help secure the entire life cycle of an attack – from incident detection to response and recovery.
You can’t reach full potential with software-only security
While the tools and tactics used by cybercriminals advance rapidly, many schools are stuck primarily depending on software-based cybersecurity measures, such as firewalls, antivirus programs and endpoint detection systems alone.
While these tools play an essential role in safeguarding the external network layers, they have several limitations. Software security solutions are inherently reactive, only capable of detecting known threats, leaving schools exposed to AI-driven zero day attacks that can bypass traditional defences.
Phishing remains one of the most effective attack methods. For example, just this year, a phishing campaign exploiting Microsoft’s legacy ADFS identity solution targeted the global education sector. Even the best software cannot prevent a staff member or student from clicking on a malicious link.
Additionally, software requires regular patches and updates to remain effective. While not an issue exclusive to schools, the fact is organisations too often delay updates due to resource limitations, leaving vulnerabilities exposed. To mitigate these risks, schools need a more durable cybersecurity framework that goes beyond software alone.
Achieving ’zero trust’ with AI-driven hardware security
With AI-powered cyber threats on the rise, software-based defenses alone are no longer enough. Schools need to assume that every user, device, and network connection could be compromised. This is the foundation of zero trust security – a framework that ensures no one is granted access by default. Many institutions attempt to implement zero trust through software but this approach is incomplete without hardware-based security. AI-driven hardware that is built directly into devices adds an extra layer of protection that operates independently if the software fails.
AI hardware solutions provide automated threat detection, continuously monitoring for anomalies and responding to threats in real-time without human intervention. At the physical layer, they also offer protection against insider threats, making unauthorised access far more difficult. With this approach, educational institutions will have round-the-clock security that pre-empts attacks before they have a chance to cause harm. Moving from reactive to proactive defences will be a critical step towards stopping cybercriminals.
A call to action
The reality is that cybercriminals will continue to target schools as long as vulnerabilities exist. Traditional security measures are insufficient against increasingly sophisticated attacks and the education sector must evolve to meet these challenges head-on.
To build a safer digital environment, schools must implement a layered security strategy that goes beyond basic cyber hygiene. Educating staff and students about cybersecurity practices to reduce human error and regularly conducting system updates and security audits is the bare minimum. By adopting a holistic approach that integrates both software and AI-infused hardware, schools can achieve a genuinely zero-trust cybersecurity posture that creates a secure future for students, staff and the broader education community. The time to act is now before the next attack strikes.
Perhaps add in a reference and statistic so its less of a sweeping statement: https://blog.checkpoint.com/research/check-point-research-warns-every-day-is-a-school-day-for-cybercriminals-with-the-education-sector-as-the-top-target-in-2024/
Maybe link this to an actual incident? https://www.euronews.com/my-europe/2025/01/15/classes-remain-cancelled-at-eindhoven-university-of-technology-following-weekend-cyberatta
This might perhaps be a stronger hook as well, with some urgency.
Not an issue specific to schools.
This sounds like zero trust is a software and not a framework, best to clarify this distinction. I.e. software-based Zero Trust implementation is the most common approach, but a trust Zero Trust framework is incomplete without intelligent hardware-level security.”
