Understanding Cyber Incidents in Schools and Colleges
Cybercriminals relentlessly target higher education institutions, putting the sensitive data of staff and students at risk.
According to the Verizon Data Breach Investigations Report 2023, there were 1,780 cyber incidents in the education sector, with 1,537 resulting in data disclosure. The top patterns – accounting for 90% of breaches – were system intrusion, social engineering and miscellaneous errors. The patterns seen in this report remain consistent with previous years, and unfortunately, they're only set to worsen.
The financial and reputational costs of these attacks are immense, showing the urgent need for professional cybersecurity solutions tailored to the unique vulnerabilities of colleges and universities.
What Makes Colleges and Universities a Target for Cyberattacks?
Colleges and universities have a broad attack surface because different departments frequently have their own subdomain. All these entry points make it easier for hackers to find and exploit vulnerabilities. These institutions operate complex networks with multiple access points, creating significant cybersecurity challenges. The open and diverse nature of educational environments further complicates the enforcement of strict security measures.
Universities house vast amounts of valuable data, including personal information about students, faculty, and staff and sensitive research data. This wealth of information makes them prime targets for cybercriminals.
Common Cyberattacks Faced by Higher Education Institutions
Several common cyberattacks could happen (and have happened) to higher education institutions. These might seem scary, but preparation is key. Security is not something to take lightly. Let’s look at the common threats and how Pantheon can help combat them.
Data Breach
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Data breaches involve unauthorized access to sensitive data, including personal, financial and research information. Universities are prime targets due to the vast amounts of valuable data they store.
For instance, in 2023, the University of Minnesota experienced a significant data incident involving admissions, race and ethnicity information from a database accessed without authorization. This incident underscores the pervasive nature of cyberthreats faced by educational institutions.
Our security measures at Pantheon include automated updates to protect all systems against the latest vulnerabilities. Also, immutable code and automated site monitoring help prevent unauthorized access, ensuring that sensitive data remains secure.
Ransomware and Other Malware
Ransomware attacks encrypt data and demand a ransom for its release. Universities are particularly vulnerable because they rely on data for daily operations.
In 2020, the University of California paid a $1 million ransom to recover data encrypted in a ransomware attack, significantly disrupting their operations.
Pantheon combats ransomware with automated backups and a secure platform architecture that limits the spread of malware. Regular security assessments and continuous monitoring help identify and mitigate threats before they can cause significant damage.
DDoS Attacks
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Distributed denial of service (DDoS) attacks overwhelm a university's network with excessive traffic, rendering it inaccessible. This can disrupt online classes, research activities and administrative functions.
At the beginning of 2024, the University of Cambridge was targeted by the DDoS threat group Anonymous Sudan, which later publicly shared screenshots to prove the outage.
We know how damaging this can be to companies and educational institutions. That’s why our WebOps platform provides DDoS protection to protect educational institutions from such attacks. With advanced traffic management and filtering techniques, Pantheon ensures that legitimate traffic can access university resources without interruption.
Phishing and Business Email Compromise (BEC)
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Phishing and BEC attacks trick university staff and faculty into revealing access credentials or transferring funds. These attacks can cause significant financial and reputational damage.
In 2022, attackers compromised a Duke University email account. They used it to send a second wave of phishing emails, attempting to steal more login details and financial information from students and staff.
Pantheon enhances email security with role-based access controls and multi-factor authentication, reducing the risk of unauthorized access. Regular training and awareness programs are crucial to educating staff and students about recognizing and avoiding phishing attempts.
Invasion
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Invasion attacks involve unauthorized access to sensitive network areas, leading to data theft or system damage. Universities' open environments and complex networks make them susceptible to such breaches.
In 2023, unauthorized hackers infiltrated the University of Michigan's systems and successfully obtained sensitive personal information. This included financial account details, social security numbers and health data belonging to around 230,000 individuals, including students, alumni, employees and contractors.
Using Pantheon's security framework, universities can have strict access controls to prevent unauthorized access. Users can also implement SAML integration to give an extra layer of security with features such as multi-factor authentication.
How Pantheon Aids Educational Institutions
Pantheon offers a solution tailored to the unique needs of higher education institutions, providing numerous benefits for central IT teams, individual departments and university marketing teams:
Central IT Teams
Our platform simplifies website management for central IT teams by allowing them to oversee multiple sites from a single cloud dashboard. This central control ensures consistent branding and campus-wide integrations while permitting customization within defined parameters.
Additionally, we offer dedicated support to quickly resolve technical issues, minimizing disruptions. Hosting all sites on one platform also results in significant cost savings for institutions without compromising quality or performance.
“Pantheon never goes down, and I don’t even have to think about the websites anymore. When we were on the old server, it was just a nightmare, but we never have problems with Pantheon. It’s lovely," said Stephanie Lynn, Senior IT Manager, the Franklin College of Arts & Sciences, University of Georgia.
Individual Departments
Our user-friendly platform enables even non-technical team members to update content easily, keeping websites fresh and engaging. This accessibility empowers departments to manage their own sites without needing extensive technical knowledge. Efficient workflows allow everyone to contribute, ensuring that sites remain up-to-date and optimized for performance.
University Marketing Team
University marketing teams benefit from Pantheon's streamlined workflows, which make it easy to communicate and promote events, ticket sales, donations and more. Pantheon helps marketing teams achieve their goals efficiently and effectively by centralizing website management and content creation.
Our cloud-based website management tools are designed to streamline IT operations, empower individual departments, and enhance university communications. With Pantheon, higher education institutions can graduate to solutions tailored to their needs, enabling them to focus on what matters most: delivering exceptional digital experiences for students, faculty and staff.
Next Steps in Strengthening Your Institution's Cyber Resilience
As cyberthreats continue to evolve and target educational institutions, it's essential to ensure your hosting provider is taking significant steps to enhance your site's security.
Pantheon is great for higher education institutions looking for a reliable and secure web hosting solution. Our platform is built with the unique needs of colleges and universities in mind. We aim to streamline workflows, foster collaboration and optimize digital delivery across your campus.
At Pantheon, we prioritize safety above all. By hosting your site with us, you can have peace of mind knowing that your digital assets are in the most capable hands. Our dedicated security team works diligently to safeguard your data against the ever-changing threat landscape, employing cutting-edge security measures and proactive monitoring.
Download our eBook, Secure Your Online Campus, to examine the importance of cybersecurity in higher education and discover how Pantheon can help protect your institution's online presence.
Together, we can create a more secure and protected digital future for your institution!