Cybercrime has been on the rise for a number of years now but has been rife since the start of the pandemic. This can be attributed to the rise of remote work, increasingly advanced tactics and attacks, and the chaos and disruption caused by COVID-19 creating new opportunities for cybercriminals. You usually hear stories of large corporations and Government departments suffering cyber-attacks, but all organizations are at risk, including educational institutions such as schools and colleges. This post will look at the main reasons why educational institutions need proactive cybersecurity measures, like secure coding, in place and how they can go about doing this.
- Cybercrime Is On The Rise
The primary reason why educational institutions need proactive cybersecurity is that the threat of cybercrime is fast on the rise. Studies show that cybercrime costs are expected to grow by 15% annually to 2025 reaching an eye-watering $10.5 trillion (up from $3 trillion in 2015). As mentioned in the intro all organizations are targeted and educational institutions need to make sure that they have protection in place as the risk is much higher in 2022 and will only get higher in the years to come.
- Increased Reliance On Computers & The Internet
Another key reason is that educational institutions have an increased reliance on computers and the internet. While computers and the internet can provide a much greater educational experience for all, you will find that this also poses a risk and can put the school, teachers and students at risk. Cybercriminals could steal sensitive data that could then be used against the school or individuals and cause serious, long-term damage.
- Prevent Disruption
Cyber-attacks also have the potential to cause severe disruption for a school or college, which can bring everything to a grinding halt. Much like in business, downtime can be costly in the education sector as it can prevent your teachers from working and stop students from learning. This could set everyone back and make it harder for students to find success.
- Peace Of Mind
An overlooked benefit of cybersecurity for educational institutions is that it can provide peace of mind. When you know that you have a proactive cybersecurity system in place, it can provide peace of mind knowing that the institution is safe from the latest threats. This will give everyone reassurance knowing that disruption is unlikely and that sensitive data is protected.
So, what is the best way to protect an educational institution? In addition to antivirus software, institutions should use continuous controls monitoring (CCM) from a specialist like panaseer.com as a way to improve cybersecurity. Essentially, this will automate the tracking of the information security controls that you have in place so that you are able to continuously assess the security system so that you can assess threats and reduce risk.
These are the key reasons why educational institutions need proactive cybersecurity. Cybercrime is on the rise and educational institutions are frequently targeted, which could result in serious long-term issues affecting the institution, teachers and students.