Education quality impacted by ransomware for 64% of IT workers in education sector

A recent survey conducted by Action1 highlights the potential impact of cyberattacks on the education sector. The survey, which involved 250 IT professionals from educational institutions in the United States and the United Kingdom, brings to light key concerns and assessments regarding school cybersecurity. The findings reveal that 64% of respondents are worried about ransomware threats affecting the quality of education, underscoring the broader implications of cyber threats beyond just security.

According to the survey, IT leaders in education feel unsupported by school boards, with 20% indicating that current levels of support are inadequate. Additionally, 78% of schools lack a dedicated cybersecurity specialist, and 44% allocate less than 10% of their IT budgets to cybersecurity initiatives. Moreover, 71% of IT professionals rate their school’s cybersecurity readiness as only moderate or slight, while 27% of schools do not regularly conduct vulnerability assessments.