Over the last year, cyber threat actors have been prolific, demonstrating their ability to launch a diverse and innovative range of attacks across multiple industries, including healthcare, technology, and most notably, education. The education sector has always been a key target for cybercriminals, but 2024 saw a staggering 37% rise in attacks compared to the previous year. According to Huntress’s latest threat report, education has overtaken healthcare, manufacturing, and technology as the most targeted sector, with 21% of all cyberattacks directed at schools, colleges, and universities.
Threat actors are employing more sophisticated attack vectors to bypass existing cybersecurity defences. These sophisticated attack methods, once reserved for targeting large enterprises, are now being deployed against smaller institutions, including schools and universities. This shift underscores the urgent need for educational institutions to strengthen their security posture and mitigate the alarming frequency of cyber threats.
The Rising Threat Landscape
The Huntress 2025 Cyber Threat Report highlights the sheer scale of this issue, pointing to a sharp rise in ransomware, malware, and social engineering attacks targeting schools and universities.
There are several reasons why the education sector is a prime target for cybercriminals. Schools and universities store vast amounts of personally identifiable information (PII) on students, staff, and alumni, including financial records, health information, and research data. This sensitive data is highly valuable to attackers, who can exploit it for identity theft, financial fraud, or even espionage.
Another major issue is the outdated security infrastructure within many educational institutions. A reliance on legacy systems, poor patch management, and limited cybersecurity resources make schools vulnerable to exploitation. Cybercriminals quickly take advantage of these weaknesses, exploiting unpatched software and legacy systems to gain unauthorised access.
Additionally, the lack of cybersecurity awareness among students, teachers, and administrative staff poses a significant risk. Many individuals within educational settings are not sufficiently trained to recognise phishing attempts or other cyber threats, making them easy targets. With the increasing use of personal devices and open networks, the attack surface continues to expand, further exacerbating the issue.
The Most Common Attack Vectors
Cybercriminals use a variety of tactics to infiltrate educational institutions, exploiting weak security protocols and human vulnerabilities. Malicious scripts are the most-identified threat detected in the education sector, making up 24% of attacks in 2024. This allows attackers to hide malicious code within a computer without the user’s knowledge and can cause disastrous problems for education institutions.
The next most common threats are malware and infostealers with 16% and 13% respectively. Attackers deploy malicious software to steal login credentials, financial details, and other valuable information from students and staff. These stolen credentials can then be sold on the dark web or used to facilitate further attacks.
One of the most damaging threats is ransomware, which encrypts critical files and demands payment for their release. Schools and universities, often lacking the resources to recover quickly, are prime targets for such attacks.
Remote Monitoring and Management (RMM) abuse is also a growing concern. Attackers leverage RMM tools—legitimately used by IT teams—to gain remote access and execute malicious activities without detection. This technique allows cybercriminals to maintain persistence within an institution’s network, making it difficult for security teams to identify and eliminate the threat.
Phishing and social engineering attacks remain prevalent, with cybercriminals targeting staff and students through deceptive emails and messages. These attacks often trick victims into divulging login credentials or downloading malware, providing attackers with an entry point into the institution’s network.
Educational institutions are particularly vulnerable due to their reliance on third-party software, often with weak security measures, and a lack of robust endpoint detection capabilities. With the increasing adoption of hybrid learning models, more devices and networks are being used, further expanding the attack surface.
How to Strengthen Cybersecurity in the Future
To combat the rising threat landscape, schools and universities must take proactive measures to enhance their cybersecurity defences. One of the most effective steps is implementing regular security awareness training. Ensuring that staff and students are educated on recognising phishing attempts, secure password practices, and safe online behaviour can significantly reduce human error-related breaches.
Investment in advanced security solutions, such as Endpoint Detection and Response (EDR) tools, is also crucial. These solutions can detect and mitigate threats in real-time, preventing attackers from establishing a foothold within an institution’s network. Schools and universities should prioritise deploying EDR to strengthen their security posture.
Given the limited resources of many educational IT teams, collaboration with Managed Service Providers (MSPs) can provide critical cybersecurity support. Fully managed security platforms take the burden off in-house IT teams, allowing them to focus on day-to-day operations while ensuring comprehensive security coverage. MSPs can offer round-the-clock monitoring, incident response, and proactive threat detection, which significantly reduces the risk of successful cyberattacks.
Another key measure is the implementation of proactive threat detection and incident response plans. Schools must adopt a proactive approach by continuously monitoring for potential threats and having a clear response plan in place in the event of a breach. This includes regular vulnerability assessments, incident response drills, and ensuring that backup systems are in place to facilitate recovery in the event of a cyberattack.
The Huntress report highlights that institutions working with MSPs and leveraging fully managed security platforms have seen a significant reduction in successful cyberattacks. By outsourcing key cybersecurity functions, educational IT teams can ensure that their networks remain secure without being overwhelmed by the increasing complexity of modern threats.
Looking Forward
The education sector has become one of the most attractive targets for cybercriminals, with attacks increasing in both volume and sophistication. Schools, colleges, and universities must recognise the urgent need to bolster their cybersecurity posture. By investing in security awareness training, deploying advanced security solutions, and working with managed service providers, educational institutions can significantly reduce their risk exposure.
With the stakes higher than ever, a proactive and comprehensive cybersecurity strategy is no longer optional, it is essential to safeguarding the future of education in an increasingly digital world.
