Half plan to prioritise increasing staff awareness, training and expanding their cybersecurity tools or software over the next 12 months.
Around three-quarters of educational institutions have experienced at least one cyber-attack or breach in the past five years, with a fifth reporting three or more incidents.
The survey by ESET also found that seven percent of institutions operate without an annual cybersecurity budget at all, while 28 percent believe cyber insurance is too expensive.
While three-quarters believe their staff have excellent or good knowledge and awareness of cybersecurity best practices and online safety, over half still plan to prioritise increasing staff awareness and training and expanding their cybersecurity tools or software over the next 12 months.
Jake Moore, global cybersecurity advisor at ESET, commented: “Education organisations are sitting on a ticking time bomb. While it’s clear that the sector recognises the critical importance of cybersecurity, there is a huge disconnect between budget allocation, lack of insurance and its misconceptions, and inadequate measures, which is leaving institutions highly vulnerable.
“These findings underscore the urgent need for education organisations to adopt a more robust and integrated approach to cybersecurity. Institutions can better safeguard their operations, staff and students, by increasing investment, educating stakeholders, implementing advanced solutions, enhancing training, and collaborating with specialised providers.”
Written by
Dan Raywood
Senior Editor
SC Media UK
Dan Raywood is a B2B journalist with more than 20 years of experience, including covering cybersecurity for the past 16 years. He has extensively covered topics from Advanced Persistent Threats and nation-state hackers to major data breaches and regulatory changes.
He has spoken at events including 44CON, Infosecurity Europe, RANT Conference, BSides Scotland, Steelcon and ESET Security Days.
Outside work, Dan enjoys supporting Tottenham Hotspur, managing mischievous cats, and sampling craft beers.
