The 2015 Global Threat Intelligence Report found that the education sector accounted for more than a third of all the
reported malware incidents.
NTT.Com Security analyzed more than six billion attacks and reported that the bring-your-own-device
(BYOD) format instructors are beginning to use could be to blame.
Students and staff use a variety of devices on
institutional networks, often providing personal information in the process.
Cybercriminals understand that and so focus their attacks on those networks.
“The history of open networks at education institutions
has resulted in network architectures where there is usually no strong
separation between areas containing sensitive data and untested areas where
professors, students, or visitors can connect,” said Chris Camejo, director of
assessment services for NTT.Com Security. “This makes it more difficult to
prevent, detect, and respond to attack. IT officials must develop a strategy
that is custom to the BYOD culture that they have embraced.”
