Colleges and universities store massive amounts of personal information, from student records and financial details to valuable research, making them attractive targets for cybercriminals. In recent years, the number of attacks on higher education institutions has grown, with ransomware, phishing, and data breaches becoming more frequent and disruptive.
Many schools face these threats with limited budgets and small IT teams, which makes it difficult to maintain strong defenses. A single incident can interrupt learning, expose confidential data, and damage the institution’s reputation.
In this guide, we cover the main cybersecurity risks facing higher education, proven best practices for improving protection, and the key frameworks that help institutions strengthen their defenses.
What is Cybersecurity in Higher Education?
Cybersecurity in higher education refers to the systems, policies, and practices that protect colleges and universities from digital threats. These threats target the people, data, and technology that power teaching, research, and administration.
Effective cybersecurity in higher education involves:
- Protecting sensitive data such as student information and research results.
- Maintaining operational continuity for learning management systems, email, and research infrastructure.
- Managing access and identity across thousands of users and applications.
- Detecting and responding to threats before they compromise classes or institutional data.
The goal is to create a secure, resilient environment where learning and research can continue without interruption, while maintaining compliance with data protection laws and institutional standards.
Cybersecurity Risks in Higher Education
Each higher education institution manages multiple interconnected systems such as student information databases, research repositories, email servers, and online learning platforms. With thousands of users connecting from different devices and locations, the attack surface is broad and complex, making security management more difficult.
These are some of the reasons why higher education is an attractive target:
- Large attack surface. Universities often maintain open Wi-Fi, public labs, guest access networks, and multiple subnets for research, student organizations, and administrative units. More entry points mean more risk.
- Diverse user base. Students, faculty, staff, researchers, vendors, and visitors all access systems, and each group has varying security awareness and access needs.
- Sensitive and valuable data. Institutions hold student records, financial information, health data, intellectual property, and research datasets.
- Limited cybersecurity budgets. Many colleges operate with constrained IT budgets and staffing, making it tougher to deploy or maintain advanced controls, conduct continuous monitoring, or respond quickly.
Universities rely on external systems and integrations for admissions, payroll, and other functions. A vulnerability in a vendor’s software can cascade into a breach. The MOVEit incident is one example: a zero-day flaw in a file transfer service exposed data from over 2,700 organizations, including higher ed institutions.
Because of these factors, attacks targeting higher education are rising in number and sophistication. In one report, the number of known ransomware attacks against K-12 and higher ed more than doubled from 129 in 2022 to 265 in 2023. Similarly, ransomware attacks across the education sector surged by 69% from 2024 to 2025.
These alarming statistics show how exposed academic institutions have become to various cyber threats. The primary categories of risks currently affecting higher education include:
Ransomware Attacks
Ransomware remains one of the most damaging threats in higher education, and over 8,000 schools and colleges have been affected by it since 2018.
U.S. educational institutions have spent millions on recovery efforts and experienced major operational disruptions, losing an average of 12.6 days to ransomware-related disruptions in 2023, up from 8.7 days in 2021. The estimated daily cost of downtime reached around $548,000, showing how these attacks can quickly strain limited budgets and resources.
Because many higher ed institutions use outdated systems or lack redundancy, ransomware can paralyze core services, bringing campus functions to a halt.
Phishing and Social Engineering
Phishing is a common entry point for attackers. According to the UK Cyber Security Breaches Survey 2025, further and higher education institutions experienced the highest rates of incidents, with 97% reporting phishing attacks, compared to 89% among primary and secondary schools.
Students and staff may be tricked by emails impersonating campus services or authority figures, leading them to reveal login credentials or run malicious attachments. Once inside, attackers can move laterally. Because of the large and diverse user base in higher education, even a single successful phishing attempt can lead to broader data exposure.
Social engineering also includes business email compromise (BEC) targeting finance or procurement offices. Attackers may spoof trusted vendors or administrators to trick staff into making wire transfers or revealing financial access.
Data Breaches
Data breaches occur when attackers gain unauthorized access to databases, often via vulnerabilities in web applications or third-party integrations. These breaches can expose sensitive student data, faculty data, or proprietary research.
In 2023, breaches in the higher education and training sectors cost about US $3.7 million, highlighting the serious financial toll on institutions.
Reporting such breaches is also slower than in other industries. On average, it takes around 4.8 months for a higher education institution to publicly disclose a breach after a ransomware incident. This delay can make recovery harder, increase reputational harm, and reduce trust among students, faculty, and external partners.
DDoS Attacks
Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) attacks flood a target’s network or systems with excessive traffic, forcing them offline. In a university context, this might disrupt critical services such as registration portals, learning management systems, or campus websites.
DDoS attacks are often used as a distraction while attackers attempt other intrusions or as a direct sabotage tool (e.g., during high-traffic periods). Because higher ed campuses are often publicly exposed, DDoS remains a persistent risk.
IoT and BYOD Risks
Universities increasingly support a wide range of devices and endpoints that could easily be compromised:
- IoT (Internet of Things): Sensors, smart classrooms, lab instruments, HVAC systems, video surveillance, and smart building devices may be less secure and exploited as entry points.
- BYOD (Bring Your Own Device): Students, faculty, and staff often connect personal laptops, tablets, and phones to campus networks. These devices vary widely in security posture, increasing exposure.
- Shadow IT: Users may deploy unsanctioned tools or services (cloud apps, file sharing, collaboration tools) that bypass central security controls.
Once compromised, any of these devices can act as gateways to campus systems, enabling attackers to pivot into sensitive zones.
Best Practices for Securing Higher Education
Protecting colleges and universities requires a layered and proactive strategy that combines strong technology controls with awareness, governance, and training.
A well-rounded approach limits security incidents and helps institutions meet legal, regulatory, and funding-related security obligations.
Here are a few recommended practices that can help strengthen cybersecurity across higher education environments.
Conduct Regular Risk Assessments and Audits
Routine reviews of network configurations, user access, and critical assets help identify vulnerabilities before they are exploited. Independent audits can also reveal weaknesses that internal teams might miss, giving leadership a clear view of overall risk exposure.
Build a Cyber-Aware Culture with Ongoing Training
Technology alone cannot stop every attack. Regular training programs should teach students, faculty, and staff how to recognize phishing attempts, create strong passwords, and report suspicious behavior. Fostering a culture of shared responsibility helps reduce mistakes that often lead to breaches.
Enforce Zero Trust Access Controls and MFA
Open campus networks require strict identity and access management. A Zero Trust model treats every login attempt as potentially risky and verifies each request based on context and permissions. Multi-factor authentication (MFA) adds another layer of defense by requiring a second form of verification, making credential theft far less effective.
Keep Systems Patched and Enable Continuous Monitoring
Outdated systems are a common target for attackers. Regular patching of software and hardware minimizes exposure to known vulnerabilities. Continuous monitoring tools help detect unusual behavior early, allowing teams to respond quickly before small incidents escalate.
Protect Sensitive Data with Encryption and Backups
Data should be encrypted both when stored and during transmission to prevent unauthorized access. Regular, verified backups stored in secure, offline locations allow for faster recovery from ransomware or data loss events.
Develop and Test an Incident Response Plan
An effective incident response plan outlines roles, communication steps, and containment procedures for cyber incidents. Regular testing helps teams respond quickly and in coordination, minimizing disruption to learning, research, and administrative functions.
Leverage Advanced Security Platforms and External Expertise
Modern threats demand advanced defenses such as Extended Detection and Response (XDR) systems that integrate threat intelligence, automation, and real-time visibility. Partnering with trusted security providers can also strengthen protection and address staffing or skill shortages.
Key Cybersecurity Frameworks & Standards for Higher Education
Cybersecurity frameworks provide the foundation for building consistent and mature security programs in higher education. They offer structure for organizing defenses, tracking progress, and communicating priorities to leadership, regulators, and funding partners.
Since university environments are complex and varied, most institutions adopt a hybrid approach, combining multiple frameworks to address both compliance obligations and operational needs.
Below are key frameworks and standards relevant to colleges and universities:
NIST Cybersecurity Framework (CSF)
The NIST CSF is one of the most widely used models for guiding cybersecurity strategy. It outlines five core functions that help institutions assess their current posture and improve over time: Identify, Protect, Detect, Respond, and Recover. In higher education, it serves as a baseline framework that can be adapted to research networks, administrative systems, and academic platforms.
ISO/IEC 27001
ISO/IEC 27001 defines the global standard for an Information Security Management System (ISMS). It emphasizes governance, risk management, and continuous improvement. Universities that achieve or align with ISO 27001 demonstrate strong data protection practices, particularly when collaborating with international partners or handling sensitive research.
FERPA and GLBA
In the United States, FERPA (Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act) protects the privacy of student educational records, guiding how data can be accessed, shared, or disclosed. GLBA (Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act) applies to institutions managing financial aid information, requiring safeguards for personal and financial data. Compliance with both acts helps universities maintain trust while meeting legal responsibilities for handling student and financial records.
NIST SP 800-171 and CMMC
Research institutions that work with the U.S. federal government or defense-related data must comply with NIST Special Publication 800-171 or the Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC). These standards outline requirements for protecting Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI) and demonstrate an institution’s ability to handle government-funded research securely.
HECVAT (Higher Education Community Vendor Assessment Toolkit)
HECVAT is designed specifically for higher education to assess the security posture of third-party vendors that provide services such as cloud storage, learning management systems, and financial platforms. It helps universities evaluate whether these vendors meet acceptable security and privacy standards before integrating them into campus operations.
GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation)
For institutions that interact with students, faculty, or researchers from the European Union, GDPR establishes strict guidelines for collecting, processing, and storing personal data. It reinforces accountability and transparency in data handling, which is especially important for universities with global partnerships or international students.
Cybersecurity Trends in Higher Education
Higher education institutions face continually changing attack techniques and the defenses required to avoid them.
The trends below show how colleges and universities are targeted and how their security postures are adapting.
Rising Frequency and Complexity of Attacks
Cyber incidents in higher education have become more frequent and sophisticated.
During Q2 2025, the education sector faced an average of 4,388 cyberattacks per week, representing a 31% YoY increase and more than double the global average for all sectors.
Phishing, Ransomware, and Supply Chain Targeting
Phishing continues to be the most common entry point for cyberattacks in higher education. Data shows that 97% of institutions experienced a phishing breach.
Ransomware also remains one of the most damaging threats, with its scale and sophistication continuing to rise in educational settings.
Beyond direct attacks, supply-chain vulnerabilities are also becoming major targets, with TIAA highlighting them as a growing area of concern for universities.
Increased Threats to Research and Intellectual Property
Higher education institutions face heightened risks of cyber espionage as attackers increasingly target research data and proprietary intellectual property. Universities are the second-most targeted for state-sponsored and criminal groups seeking access to high-value research projects.
The rise of hybrid learning and cloud-based research systems has also expanded attack surfaces, making it easier for cybercriminals to exploit weak points across interconnected networks and devices.
Use of Cloud and Hybrid Environments
The shift to cloud computing and hybrid learning models has reshaped how institutions manage data and security.
These environments offer flexibility but also create new risks that demand updated protection strategies. For instance, attackers often take advantage of poorly secured cloud systems.
Governance, Risk Management, and Supplier Oversight
US campuses are continuing to formalize third-party and governance practices, but still have maturity gaps.
A 2024 study found that only 35% of institutions have a formal third-party risk management (TPRM) process, with 22% reporting they regularly monitor vendor performance and compliance.
On governance, most campus security leaders still report into the CIO (42%), while only 9% report directly to the president or chancellor. This highlights how cyber accountability often sits within IT rather than at the highest level.
Sector guidance continues to push boards and executive teams to treat cybersecurity as an enterprise risk and to maintain standing oversight.
Budget Constraints
Despite the rising threat landscape, many higher education institutions continue to face tight budgets and staffing shortages.
EDUCAUSE reports that IT and cybersecurity teams are stretched thin, often balancing limited resources with expanding responsibilities across research, teaching, and remote learning support.
These pressures are pushing universities to rethink resource allocation, prioritize core security controls, and leverage automation and managed services to close capability gaps.
How SentinelOne Supports Higher Education Cybersecurity
SentinelOne Singularity™ is a cybersecurity platform built to address the complex and open networks of higher education. Campuses face a mix of students, faculty, staff, and alumni connecting from multiple devices and locations. SentinelOne provides AI-powered, autonomous protection across endpoints, identities, and cloud workloads to defend against cyberattacks while supporting academic and research operations.
Key capabilities that make SentinelOne well-suited for higher education include:
- Autonomous endpoint, identity, and cloud protection: SentinelOne offers unified protection for all devices, user accounts, and cloud applications. The platform detects threats in real time and responds automatically, helping universities maintain consistent security coverage across distributed and hybrid environments.
- AI-powered ransomware defense and remediation: Ransomware attacks are detected and blocked using artificial intelligence. If an incident occurs, SentinelOne can isolate affected systems and restore them to a safe state, minimizing operational downtime and protecting sensitive research and student data.
- Protection for hybrid learning and research environments: SentinelOne secures cloud applications, remote learning platforms, and off-campus devices. This coverage safeguards users and systems whether on campus, connecting from home, or collaborating internationally.
- AI-Powered SOC Support and Data Visibility. SentinelOne leverages AI to analyze data from across the campus network, removing silos and reducing alert fatigue. GenAI capabilities assist teams in investigating threats, summarizing alerts, and scaling responses, effectively multiplying the impact of limited security staff.
By combining autonomous AI-driven defense, continuous monitoring, and expert support, SentinelOne helps higher education institutions protect sensitive data, comply with various regulations, and maintain resilient cybersecurity across teaching, research, and administrative operations.
FAQs
Cybersecurity supports the stability and credibility of higher education institutions. It helps maintain trust among students, staff, parents, and research partners by keeping digital systems reliable and preventing academic disruption or manipulation of research data.
The most common threats include ransomware attacks that lock critical systems, phishing emails that trick staff and students into sharing credentials, and unauthorized access to research databases. Shadow IT and outdated systems also create blind spots that attackers can exploit.
Universities have large, open networks that support students, faculty, researchers, and visitors. This openness, combined with valuable research data and often limited cybersecurity resources, makes them attractive to attackers looking for easy entry points and high-value information.
Institutions can protect student data by:
- Applying strict access controls to limit who can view or modify sensitive information.
- Adopting zero-trust security to verify every user and device before granting access.
- Monitoring systems for unusual activity or unauthorized logins.
- Performing regular security awareness training to help users recognize phishing and social engineering attempts.
- Encrypting sensitive data both in transit and at rest.
- Following compliance requirements under education-focused frameworks such as FERPA and NIST 800-171.
- Using multi-factor authentication to add an extra layer of verification.
- Regularly updating and patching software to close security gaps.
- Segmenting networks to prevent attackers from moving freely across systems if one area is compromised.
