Cyber Attacks Targeting K-12 Education Are On The Rise

As remote learning continues to play a critical role in the world's pandemic response, cybercriminals see another opportunity for exploitation.  The Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, and the Multi-State Information Sharing and Analysis Center (MS-ISAC) recently issued an Advisory warning of cyber-attacks to K-12 educational institutions.  The Advisory reports that in August and September, ransomware incidents targeting K-12 education reported to the MS-SAC made up 57% of all reported ransomware incidents, up from 28% reported from January through July.

As we previously reported, cyber-attacks—especially ransomware—have increased significantly during the Covid-19 pandemic across all sectors.  K-12 educational institutions are particularly vulnerable targets for attackers.  According to Curtis W. Dukes, the executive vice president of the Center for Internet Security, K-12 educational institutions often cannot