Educational institutions globally are facing a significant surge in cyber-attacks, with a 63% increase in incidents over the past year, as reported by Quorum Cyber. This rise is attributed to a combination of geopolitical tensions, ransomware, and hacktivism, affecting schools and universities across 67 countries. The findings are part of Quorum Cyber's 2026 Global Cyber Risk Outlook for Higher Education, which draws on data from FalconFeeds.io covering November 2023 to October 2025.
The report reveals a worrying trend in the education sector, with data breaches rising by 73%, hacktivist activities by 75%, and ransomware attacks by 21%. Universities are particularly vulnerable due to their involvement in high-value research areas such as artificial intelligence, quantum computing, and advanced materials. Nation-state actors are reportedly targeting these institutions to steal research, while hacktivists are engaging in distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attacks, website defacement, and data leaks.
Among the most active threat groups identified are FunkSec, Cl0p, INC, and Nova, with infostealer malware and financially motivated ransomware posing persistent threats. The report also notes an increase in activity from Iranian threat actors, further complicating the security landscape for educational institutions. These threats are not only disruptive but also pose a risk to the integrity and confidentiality of sensitive academic research.
To combat these threats, Quorum Cyber recommends several mitigation strategies for educational institutions. These include intelligence-led vulnerability management to prioritize patching, dark web monitoring for early detection of leaked credentials, and maintaining robust backups with multiple copies stored offline. Regular incident response exercises are advised to ensure preparedness, alongside strong password management and social engineering defenses.
Ambrose Neville, head of information security at Queen Mary University of London, emphasizes the challenge of balancing openness and security in higher education. He highlights the importance of security resilience, knowing where vulnerabilities lie, and responding swiftly to threats to prevent escalation. By adopting these measures, educational institutions can better protect themselves against the growing wave of cyber threats.
Source: https://www.infosecurity-magazine.com/news/cyberattacks-surge-63-annually/