According to the White House, the United States has experienced an increase in cyber attacks targeting the nation’s K-12 school system. In fact, in the 2022-23 academic year alone, at least eight districts across the country fell victim to cyber threats — half of which forced schools to cancel classes or close completely.
Indeed, if you’re not careful, a successful cyber attack could prove devastating. However, there’s much more at stake than a temporary disruption. With loads of sensitive information up for grabs, even a single security breach could have long-term and far-reaching consequences for students and staff members alike.
Read on to find out more about K-12 cyber attacks, including what you can do to protect your students and their personal information from unauthorized access and exposure.
A cyber attack is any type of malicious activity that attempts to collect, disrupt, deny, degrade, or destroy computer system resources or information itself. Threat actors — such as hackers or cyber criminals — normally attack organizations with a particular goal in mind, like stealing personal data or disturbing regular business activities.
When hackers successfully get their hands on sensitive data, this type of cyber incident is known as a data breach. Of course, most organizations have security measures in place to stop threat actors in their tracks before they gain unauthorized access to sensitive information.
However, as cybersecurity advances, cyber criminals grow more sophisticated to match. That’s why businesses — school districts included — must continuously strengthen their threat protection strategies. Otherwise, they’re sure to fall victim to any number of increasingly dangerous attack vectors.
For instance, here are some of the most common types of cyber threats impacting K-12 school districts:
K-12 school districts are prime targets for cyber threats. In fact, a recent report reveals that education organizations in the United States are experiencing a “massive spike” in malware, encrypted threats, and cryptojacking in 2023.
Moreover, malware attacks rose 466% between January and June compared to the same period in 2022. Worse yet, there’s been an eye-opening leap —- 2,580% — in malware delivered over encrypted means. Overall, education is the second most targeted industry so far this year.
Why? Think about it: Your district has a ton of sensitive information. From Social Security numbers and personal data to home addresses and more, you’re storing a goldmine of valuable data. Hackers consider this type of information lucrative, as they can easily flip it on the dark web for a big payday. Plus, given the nature of the data, they can leverage it against school districts for a hefty ransom.
Unfortunately, schools are also not the most sophisticated in terms of cybersecurity — especially in the cloud. Although over 90% of districts use either Google Workspace or Microsoft 365, fewer than 20% of budgets include security measures for cloud-based threats. To make matters worse, many lack full-time cybersecurity staff or cyber risk management training.
You might not realize it, but there’s a lot on the line when it comes to school cybersecurity. Let’s review the most significant consequences to better understand how a data breach could impact your district:
Although the cost of cyber crime can vary depending on the industry, its price tag is rarely affordable. Globally, the average cost of a data breach is $4.45 million per incident. In the United States, that number more than doubles.
Cyber attacks may incur a smaller financial toll on school districts, but the cost is still exorbitant given how tight school budgets can be. According to a Government Accountability Office (GAO) report, monetary losses stemming from K-12 cyber crime can range between $50,000 to over $1 million. These knock-on costs can include rising insurance deductibles, additional overtime pay, and system recovery. If a cyber incident is severe enough, it may even require you to replace the affected resources.
According to a 2023 study, K-12 schools have leaked over 5.3 million records since 2005. When someone’s personal information, such as a physical address or phone number, is either leaked or stolen online, it creates a very serious problem for the victims. In some cases, a single cyber incident could have long-term repercussions.
For example, it’s exceedingly common for underage children to fall victim to identity theft. If a threat actor gains access to a cache of personal data, they may sell the information to the highest bidder. Normally, the buyer leverages this information to make fraudulent charges in the child’s name, ruining their credit for years to come. Worse yet, most victims don’t realize their identity has been stolen until several years later.
Worst of all, cyber attacks can have far-reaching consequences that quite literally hit close to home. Sometimes, hackers even threaten to harm students and staff if their districts don’t comply with their demands.
An early example of this happened in 2017 to a Montana school district that experienced a ransomware attack. A cyber crime gang called “The Dark Overlord Solution” threatened violence against students if the ransom wasn’t paid. The criminals even used stolen information to contact and harass students’ parents. Fortunately, no harm ever came to the students or their families.
Aside from the financial, personal, and safety concerns associated with cybersecurity, you should also consider the following:
It’s obvious that cyber attacks can lead to a lot of damage. But how do they happen in the first place? Here are some of the most common causes:
Luckily, there’s plenty you can do to harden your defenses. Here are a few best practices to get started:
It’s clear that K-12 has a cybersecurity problem. The good news? At ManagedMethods, we’ve developed two helpful solutions.
With Content Filter and Cloud Monitor, you not only can block harmful material, but also automate threat detection at scale. Regardless of the size of your team, our platform integrates seamlessly into Google Workspace and Microsoft 365 to rapidly identify risks and help you avoid a potential breach.
Prepare for cyber attacks and mitigate impacts by implementing an incident response plan. Download the incident response planning template today.