What Is The Most Common Form Of Cyber Attack Across Schools?
Cyber crime is an escalating problem for the education sector, and schools and higher education institutions are becoming increasingly vulnerable to various types of cyber attacks.
In short, the most common form of cyber attack across schools currently is phishing.
This is supported by a study carried out by the UK government detailing that phishing attacks are the most likely incident, with 100% of higher education institutions, 92% of primary schools, and 89% of secondary schools reporting phishing attacks.
However, there are many types of cyber attacks that schools are vulnerable to, some of which we’re going to cover in this guide, emphasising how the need for awareness and practising safeguarding measures is all the more important.
Let’s get started.
Cyber Attacks On Schools: The Different Types
Types of cyber attacks on schools include, but are not limited to:
- Phishing
- Formjacking
- Malware
- Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) attacks
- Spoofing
1. Phishing
As we’ve discussed above, phishing is the most common form of cyber attack across schools.
Phishing attacks attempt to deceive the recipient into disclosing sensitive information, including financial details or passwords, to criminals posing as trustworthy entities.
As schools hold a vast amount of personal information, from financial records to personal information about staff and students, this renders them highly vulnerable to cyber attacks like phishing.
Generally speaking, phishing attacks take the form of messages, emails, or other forms of communication that trick both staff and students into compromising security procedures.
From the loss of critical data to financial theft, the result of phishing attacks on schools can be drastic. Moreover, as these attacks can cause widespread disruption, they can cause a loss of trust within the school community.
2. Formjacking
Another common form of cyber attack across schools is formjacking.
Formjacking is a cyber attack that involves the injection of malicious code into online forms on websites.
This allows cyber criminals to steal sensitive information from unsuspecting victims when they input information, be it login credentials, card details or personal identification.
Schools often have several online systems for everything from tuition payments to admissions, making them the ideal targets for formjacking. This is further emphasised by the fact that ‘all types of education institutions are more likely to have identified cyber security breaches or attacks [during 2022-2023] than the average UK business’.
This can result in everything from financial losses for the individual to irreparable reputational damage for the school, emphasising that the true cost of formjacking attacks is vast.
3. Malware
A common form of cyber attack across schools is malware, used to harm a server, computer, or network to obtain data for financial gain.
From viruses to ransomware, malware comes in various guises that each have their own destructive capabilities in schools.
Outdated and unsupported technology in schools makes educational institutions especially vulnerable to attack and malware the perfect weapon to infiltrate systems. Moreover, as teachers and students are regularly exchanging files and links without stringent security checks, the risk of malware spreading in schools is notably high.
The result of a malware infection can be severe, ranging from compromised financial information to widespread system failures and data loss.
At Net Consulting, we recognise the unique IT Challenges that educational institutions face. Our education IT specialists are on hand to help ensure your school is prepared and protected against common cyber threats.
Get in touch with a member of our team to find out more today.
4. Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) Attacks
Next up, we have Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) attacks.
DDoS attacks are malicious attempts to ‘flood a target system, network or website with a high volume of traffic’, overwhelming it and rendering it inaccessible.
Schools have become more susceptible to DDoS attacks in recent times, and they can cause significant disruption to critical operations, from administrative services to online learning platforms.
This can make accessing educational resources more challenging, and poses numerous problems in maintaining the continuity of administrative functions, productivity, and teaching, thus impacting both staff and students.
Moreover, DDoS attacks can be launched as a distraction technique, leaving other areas of your organisation at risk and opening you up to further reputational damage.
5. Spoofing
Lastly, a common form of cyber attack across schools is spoofing.
During a spoofing attack, cyber criminals impersonate someone else in order to gain the victim’s confidence with the aim of gaining access to a system, stealing data and more.
Types Of Spoofing In Cyber Security
Types of spoofing in cyber security include, but are not limited to:
- Email spoofing – Refers to sending emails with false sender addresses.
- Website spoofing – Refers to making a malicious website look like a legitimate website.
- IP spoofing – Refers to when someone wants to hide or disguise the location from which they’re requesting or sending information online.
Anti-spoofing controls, for instance, can help identify and prevent cyber criminals pretending to be from your organisation.
That said, considering that ‘71% of secondary schools identified a breach or attack in the past year’, the prevalence of cyber attacks in schools is apparent and the need for vigilance is all the more pressing.
How We Can Help
With cyber attacks across schools and higher education institutions on the rise, safeguarding has never been more important.
In order for schools to mitigate the risk of cyber attacks, they must implement strict cyber security measures and have the correct IT infrastructure in place.
At Net Consulting, we provide efficient and secure managed IT services for the Education sector.
Get in touch with a member of our team at info@netconsulting.co.uk today to learn how our team can assist you.
