Cyber ​​Risk: schools increasingly under hacker attack

An increasingly recurring topic on our blog is that of cyber risk. The reason? Cyber ​​attacks are increasingly frequent and it is now of primary importance to know the risks in order to protect yourself.

Indeed, according to the data of the latest Clusit Report on ICT security in Italy and around the world, in the year of the pandemic, cyber crime events have recorded a +12% compared to 2019marking an increase in serious attacks of 66% compared to 2017.

The report also shows that one of the most affected sectors is the education sector 11% of total attacks in 2020becoming one of the most at-risk areas for cyber attacks.

What are the risks?

With the pandemic, schools have also seen it forced smart work: Most lessons were held online and “the numbers of cyber attacks recorded were staggering,” he highlighted Davide GubianiRegional Director SE EMEA South of Check Point.

The attacks included spying on kids via their webcams, phishing activities, ransomware and so-called “Zoombombing”, i.e. the unwanted intrusion of haters or trolls into lessons. Humans are always the weakest link when it comes to cybersecurity, so it is important that both students and teachers protect themselves.

Advice for students

• Cover the webcam. Turn off or block cameras and microphones when class is not in session. Also, make sure there is no personal information in the camera’s view.
• Click only on links from verified and reliable sources.
• Always make sure you log in directly to your schools’ remote school portals; do not rely on email links, pay attention to apparent domains on public tools.
• Use strong and different passwords.
• Never share confidential information.

Advice for teachers and schools

• Make sure laptops and other devices are protected by antivirus software to avoid accidentally downloading malware.
• Schools should install strong border firewalls and internet gateways to protect school networks from cyber attacks, unauthorized access and harmful content.
• Schools must constantly monitor all their systems and analyze them for unusual activity that could indicate an attack.
• Make sure staff members understand the risks. Conduct regular sessions for students so that they are aware of the latest cybersecurity threats.