The Growing Threat of Cyberattacks on K-12 School Districts

The use of technology in all aspects of our lives has created an increasingly lucrative market for cybercriminals. This has never been more evident than by the recently escalating number of cyberattacks on K-12 schools. According to a recent report from Cybersecuritydive.com, “In 2022, there were 1,981 K-12 schools hit with a ransomware attack, almost double the number of schools compromised in 2021.” The actual number of attacks on K-12 schools is unclear as many of these attacks go unreported due to limited reporting requirements, concerns over being targeted again, the reluctance of being viewed as a victim and restrictions in their cyber insurance policies.

So why are more cyber criminals focusing their attacks on K-12 schools? The shift to more remote learning options and homeschooling has opened the door for cybercriminals to attack from numerous points of access. Due to limitations in budget for state-of-the-art security solutions in K-12 schools, uninformed staff and students, and the limited number of IT and security resources, cybercriminals view K-12 schools as an easy target.

The treasure trove of sensitive personal data available on K-12 systems such as social security numbers, medical records, and contact information are highly valuable to cyber criminals for identity theft. Student grades can be modified by these attackers impacting a student’s future college application or employment opportunities. If student information is stolen in elementary or middle school, students and parents may not be aware of this data modification until year’s later when a student is applying to college or looking for a job.

In addition to data being compromised, cyberattacks on school districts disrupt school operations. Ransomware attacks render school computer systems useless with the cyber attacker demanding money to restore access. Distributed denial-of-service attacks impair the authorized use of networks and for online teaching video conferencing disruptions create havoc in the online classroom by attackers posting inappropriate images and language. All these disruptions often force schools to cancel classes resulting in a lack of learning.

Finally, the financial impact on schools can be significant. According to the United States Government Accountability Office in a report published in October 2022, “School officials reported monetary losses ranging from $50,000 to $1 million due to the expenses resulting from a cyber attack.”

The threat of cyberattacks on K-12 schools is a real and growing problem. With more schools implementing more advanced technology solutions, it is imperative that K-12 schools take the necessary steps to protect themselves against these cyber attacks. Implementing robust cybersecurity practices and investing in the most advanced technology solutions available will help reduce the number of attacks. However, many schools lack the necessary resources and expertise needed to effectively develop, implement, and manage a strong cybersecurity program.

Securus360 is focused exclusively on the K-12 education market and has developed a proven cybersecurity platform that is deployed in school districts across the United States: Managed eXtended Detection & Response (MXDR) provides K-12 school districts with maximum protection against cyberattacks, including real-time threat hunting and detection, automated incident response, and hybrid intelligence-based security analytics. By partnering with Securus360 and leveraging the power of MXDR, school districts can protect their sensitive data and ensure their classes are running uninterrupted. Contact Securus360 HERE to schedule a call with a cybersecurity expert.