Schools are facing greater cybersecurity threats than ever before

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74% of parents are confident in school's cybersecurity measures
But only 14% of schools provide mandatory cybersecurity training
Cyberattacks are financially impacting schools, parents, and students

New research from Keeper Security highlights a worrying gap in the perception and reality of cybersecurity practices and teachings in schools across the world.

It found parents are overwhelmingly (74%) confident in their child’s school’s cybersecurity measures, but despite this, many schools are falling short of providing robust security education, with only 14% providing mandatory security awareness training, and 13% offering it optionally.

As a new generation of children inevitably enter online spaces, ensuring their information is safe whilst doing so should be something that we drill into them, but only 12% of students have access to dedicated cybersecurity resources.

Schools at risk

Interestingly, only 7% of parents report their child’s institution has been hacked, but research released earlier this year found 71% of UK secondary schools and 52% of primary schools identified breaches in the past year alone - so unless the UK is a particular outlier, there seems to be a worrying trend of overconfidence amongst parents.

Of the 7% which reported breaches, 32% suffered data theft as a result, as well as 16% having financial implications for the school, and even 14% financially impacting students or staff, proving just how serious a cybersecurity incident can be.

Cyberattacks on educational institutions can have devastating consequences, often facing huge pressure to continue to operate despite breaches, with many forced to pay huge ransoms despite their tight budgets.

“Schools play a pivotal role in educating and protecting students, but there is still a significant shortfall in cybersecurity readiness that must be addressed,” said Darren Guccione, CEO and Co-founder at Keeper Security.

“As digital tools increasingly become embedded in education, schools must prioritize cybersecurity education and provide resources to enable students to protect themselves from evolving online threats.”

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Ellen has been writing for almost four years, with a focus on post-COVID policy whilst studying for BA Politics and International Relations at the University of Cardiff, followed by an MA in Political Communication. Before joining TechRadar Pro as a Junior Writer, she worked for Future Publishing’s MVC content team, working with merchants and retailers to upload content.