Schools become popular target for cyber criminals, new study shows

Experts: Schools easy targets for cyber threats

Jordan Bowen reports

TAMPA, Fla. - Cyber criminals are known for attacking banks and big corporations, but what about students? A new study shows schools are more popular for hackers to prey on than health care or financial organizations.

Unlike major corporations that can afford top-notch level cybersecurity protection, schools and colleges lack the funding to stay just as protected.

Under Florida law every school district must request a social security number for students enrolled in school. That data is stored somewhere in their network, and it's exactly what cyber criminals want to get their hands on.

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"A lot of the schools do not have a lot of funding. They're focused on curriculum and teachers and physical security. But what happens is, and the hackers know this, the data that these schools hold is so important," said Anthony Mongeluzo, a cybersecurity consultant and the CEO of PCS, LLC.

As Mongeluzo explained, that's why cyber criminals are turning their focus to students.

According to a study by the cybersecurity company CheckPoint.com, this year the education sector is the most popular industry targeted by cyber criminals. From 2023 to 2024, schools and colleges saw a 37% increase in attacks.

A chart from the study shows the education sector faces on average 3,086 cyberattacks per week, which is more than government, health care and banking.

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"When they hack into grade schools, these hackers will hold the data for years and years. They'll get your 12-year-old son or daughter, and then they'll wait till they're 18, and then they'll try to steal their identity, set up credit cards, and unfortunately, make a lot of money off of it," Mongeluzo said.

Mongeluzo says there are steps you can take now to protect your family in the long run.

"Freeze your credit if you don't need it. There is an inconvenience, right? It might take you up to 48 hours to unfreeze it. That's the most effective thing that you could do," Mongeluzo said.

Mongeluzo said investing in programs like LifeLock can also be a good option to stay safe. Affordable options are available for around $10 a month.

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