5. How to Combat Cyber Attacks in Higher Education. In 2016, Milford says, ransomware was “a huge moneymaker” for threat actors using a one-to-one attack vector; single workstations were frozen, and payouts typically hovered around $250 . Tweet. Monroe College is the latest target, with many of its technology systems disabled and the hackers demanding around $2 million in Bitcoin to restore access.Schools must be aware of the prevalence of ransomware and should consider steps to mitigate their risk of attack. Universities are a frequent target for cyberattacks because of the sensitive data their IT systems often house combined with the vulnerabilities that come with an open-access culture. NetWalker strikes again. Cyber attacks on higher education institutions are on the rise across the globe, with multiple, unconnected attacks hitting the headlines in the last couple of weeks. Yet with recent high profile data breaches highlighting how frequent and University Challenge: Cyber Attacks in Higher Education Foreword Today data is widely regarded as one of the most valuable assets any business can have; most understand it has to be fiercely guarded from competitors and other parties unauthorised to access it. Recent cyber attacks Recent cyber attacks prove that even the most sophisticated computer systems—like those of major banks, the government, and top retailers—are not impenetrable. Unauthorized disclosure of information can cause irreparable damage to a university’s reputation. NetWalker continued its attacks against higher education when two more colleges were revealed in June to have been victims of the ransomware. Its operators claimed to have stolen files both from Columbia College in Chicago and the University of California, San Francisco, posting screenshots of the stolen file directories. Earlier this month, Penn State University was forced to completely disconnect a portion of its network from the Internet in response to multiple cyber attacks. By Wade Williamson on May 29, 2015 . The latest university cyberattack has reignited the discussion of internet and data safety in higher education. Successful higher education cybersecurity requires communication between the IT department and institutional leaders, so they can be more effective in preventing attacks and bouncing back after an … Higher Education Crams for Cyber Security. Analysis published last week by SecurityScorecard, a New York City-based IT security company, reveals an incredible risk to students considering the sheer amount of personal data amassed on school networks. Firstly, students at Lancaster University fell victim to a phishing attack, with fraudulent invoices sent to a number of students who had applied to join the university. 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