Skip to main content
Add as a preferred source on Google

KnowBe4 Releases Report on Education Sector’s Preparedness for Cyberattacks

  • By Matt Jones
  • 03/19/25

Cybersecurity platform KnowBe4 recently released a new research report titled “From Primary Schools to Universities, The Global Education Sector is Unprepared for Escalating Cyber Attacks,” according to a news release. Multiple reports indicate that in 2024, the education sector was the most heavily targeted for cyberattacks, as many institutions don’t have adequate resources for comprehensive cybersecurity programs.

According to the report, both K–12 and higher-education institutions use third-party vendors for services like cloud storage, IT services, and software-as-a-service. Vulnerabilities in these third-party systems could affect all clients and institutions using these services.

The report also found that many schools and colleges mix modern and legacy IT systems to compensate for limited resources and the demand for modernization. This mix can provide attackers searching for an open door with access to either outdated or easily exploitable systems containing sensitive personal data.

Verizon’s 2024 Data Breach Investigation Report (DBIR) found a total of 30,458 security incidents for the year, including 10,626 confirmed data breaches, the news release reports. Among these, 1,780 incidents (17%) were against educational institutions, and 1,537 (14%) included confirmed data breaches.

Finally, according to the report, Trustwave research documented 352 ransomware claims against educational institutions in 2023.

“Today’s classroom environment is becoming ever more digital, increasing the attack surface of educational institutions and creating an unprecedented level of cyber risk,” said KnowBe4 CEO Stu Sjouwerman. “Educational institutions have inadvertently become prime targets for sophisticated threat actors due to an overall lack of resources. The most concrete, effective step that an educational institution can take to secure vital and sensitive data is to ensure that all individuals who access IT systems are equipped with the proper tools, education and awareness to protect against cyber threats and reduce human risk.” 

Finally, the report indicated the significance of employee awareness training in mitigating security risks. Employee susceptibility to phishing attacks plunged from 33.4% to 3.9% in small educational institutions following a year of sustained training and simulated phishing attacks, the news release reports.

About the Author

Matt Jones is senior editor of Spaces4Learning. He can be reached at [email protected].

Featured

  • Planning with Clarity: Using AI to Make Better Campus Decisions, Not Just Better Designs

    Higher education leaders are being asked to make increasingly high-stakes decisions about campus facilities amid greater uncertainty than ever before. Social and economic pressures, shifting enrollment, and evolving learning models compete with growing deferred maintenance needs to strain even the most robust infrastructure budgets.

  • Virginia Tech Tops Out New College of Engineering Building

    Virginia Tech in Blacksburg, Va., recently celebrated the topping out of Mitchell Hall, which will soon stand as the largest College of Engineering building on campus, according to a news release. The university partnered with Skanska on the 285,500-square-foot facility, which has an expected completion date of winter 2028.

  • Dallas-Area District Debuts Three New Facilities

    The Duncanville Independent School District in southwest Dallas, Texas, recently held ribbon-cutting ceremonies for three new facilities that resulted from a $170-million bond program passed in 2023, according to a news release.

  • Secret to Efficient, On-Time School Infrastructure & Modernization Projects is All in the Preparation

    Warmer weather and longer days make summer the ideal time for construction and modernization projects at educational facilities. School boards and construction firms must coordinate effectively to ensure that these projects do not extend even a single day into the school year and impede classroom operation.