Cybersecurity In-Depth: Feature articles on security strategy, latest trends, and people to know.
Rising threats from third-party actors are forcing institutions to play defense to protect student data from ransomware and other attacks.
June 27, 2026
Cybercriminals have long viewed the education sector, with its mix of legacy technology and new applications, uneven IT resources, and large amounts of data, as an easy and enticing target.
From the smallest rural K-12 districts to the world's most prestigious universities, IT professionals in education are focused on getting and keeping students and staff online, rather than protecting the systems their devices run on. Many have slim security budgets and are chronically understaffed. And the vast amounts of operational and personal data they hold could be ransomed or sold for use in future cybercrimes.
