Did you know, in 2023, 76% of UK ransomware victims were in the education sector? Schools are prime targets for cybercriminals, with phishing attacks leading the way. In fact, over 94% of educational organisations reported being targeted by phishing in 2024.
Phishing emails often trick staff into clicking on malicious links or downloading harmful attachments, leading to data breaches, ransomware, financial loss, and reputation damage. Schools are especially vulnerable, as they store sensitive student, staff, and financial data.
The Risks
- Data breaches: Exposing personal information.
- Ransomware: Locking systems and demanding ransom.
- Reputation damage: Losing trust from students and parents.
Your best defence? Awareness Training.
Here’s how to protect your school:
- Train staff and students to spot phishing attempts.
- Simulate phishing campaigns to test their response.
- Enable Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) for an added layer of protection.
- Encourage strong passwords and safe password practices.
Cybersecurity awareness training is the most critical tool in the defender arsenal - it's affordable, effective, and essential. Don’t wait until it’s too late - book a meeting with our team and find out how we can help you further protect your school today!
References:
- Malwarebytes 2023 Ransomware Report
- Gov.uk Cyber Security Breaches Survey 2024