Security News > 2023 > September > 75% of education sector attacks linked to compromised accounts

69% of organizations in the education sector suffered a cyberattack within the last 12 months, according to Netwrix.

What's more, 3 out of 4 attacks in the education sector were associated with a compromised on-premises user or admin account, compared to 48% for other sectors.

The three main IT priorities are the same for organizations of all sizes, including small businesses: data security, network security and cybersecurity awareness among employees.

"Organizations in the education sector handle variety of accounts - staff, third-party contractors, educators, students, alumni - that have a high turnover rate. Even if identity management is automated, it is a challenge to keep users trained on security best practices because there is a continual supply of newcomers," says Dmitry Sotnikov, VP of Product Management at Netwrix.

Students may lack experience in spotting phishing emails or fake websites asking for their credentials. To address these challenges, it is essential to mandate security training within the first few weeks and repeat it on a regular basis."

"To enable research and collaboration, educational institutions often provide a variety of shared devices and systems exposed to the internet - creating a massive attack surface," says Dirk Schrader, VP of Security Research at Netwrix.

News URL

https://www.helpnetsecurity.com/2023/09/08/education-sector-account-compromise/