Protect your student data from continued ransomware attacks, says Espria
Legacy systems present major vulnerabilities to organisations across all sectors trying to secure their operations in today’s cybersecurity climate. With the advancement of digital tools at a rapid rate and the onset of generative AI-boosted attacks proliferating amongst cyber actors, there are numerous new threats as well as exposed gaps in security that can no longer be ignored. The Education sector is no exception to attack – it’s just another target containing data ripe for exploitation.
Sophos’ The State of Ransomware in Education 2024 report has highlighted that, although ransomware attack rates are falling, they remain at dangerous levels. Where only 63% of lower education and 66% of higher education organisations were hit by
ransomware in the last year – a considerable decrease from the 80% and 79%
reported in 2023, respectively, attack rates in education remain greater than the global cross-sector average (59%).
Brian Sibley, Virtual CTO at Espria comments, “Education remains a target for cyber actors due to the lucrative value of data available for minimal investment in attack. Often, these organisations find themselves without the cybersecurity budget, or even IT budget, for effective tools, which thus becomes a wider attack surface for ransomware and similar cyber attacks.
“Particularly with legacy systems, schools must cover a wider range of hardware, some much older and thus needing extensive updates and safeguarding. Add to that the factor that systems are accessed by a range of people who may fall prey to phishing attacks or malicious emails, and you create the perfect medium for network entry and attack. IT operators for schools and academies can’t be complacent when it comes to security, as threats aren’t going away.”
The Sophos’ report also highlights that, whilst attack rates have fallen slowly, recovery costs have more than doubled. The average cost to recover from ransomware attacks in primary and secondary education organisations has more than doubled since 2023 to £2.8 million, and in higher education organisations nearly quadrupled to over £3 million. Two-thirds of organisations will choose to pay up to get encrypted data back – a massive increase from previous years.
Sibley commented, “IT operators in schools need to be proactive in their cybersecurity strategy. With already tight budgets to contend with a hefty ransomware payout is something they definitely cannot afford. Mitigating threats before they can occur is a simple strategy, but operators need to have the orchestration of security tools in place to ensure nothing slips through the cracks when it comes to cyber threats.
“Your choice of MSP is therefore critical in architecting the best approach to close security gaps. Through a wider alliance of cybersecurity partnerships, schools and academies can gain access to greater expertise and compatible security solutions through their managed service provider, and thus quickly upgrade their existing operations to become more future-ready against threats now and in the coming years. All of this is also available on a budget, helping organisations reduce costs, not just via better solution pricing, but also in preventing payouts to attackers.”
“Education will continue to be a target when it comes to cybercriminal attacks, and therefore organisations need to be making operational IT changes now before further attacks occur. Can you really afford to be risking your security and putting staff, parents’ and students’ data at risk? A collaborative security partnership gives educators the tools they need to ensure safe learning for all students in the digital age – the options are there, it’s just about trusting the right MSP.”
You may be interested in
Beyond Copilots: Why AI Agents Are the Next Competitive Advantage
AI is no longer a tactical tool, it’s becoming the engine of enterprise transformation. While copilots and other generative AI tools have helped teams work faster, the real breakthrough is happening with AI agents: autonomous systems that don’t just assist but act, learn and orchestrate entire workflows across the business. The question every executive should be asking is: “How will we harness AI to create value at scale before our competitors do?” High-performing organisations aren’t waiting. They’re embedding AI agents into daily operations and seeing measurable impact; accelerated decision-making, leaner processes and stronger financial outcomes. When markets move at digital speed, standing still means falling behind. Here’s why: So, the question isn’t “Should we adopt AI?”, it’s “What could…
Zero Trust Networking
Protecting Employees Without Friction Your workforce is your greatest asset, and your greatest vulnerability. Attackers know this, which is why phishing and credential theft remain the most common entry points. But here’s the leadership challenge: how do you protect employees without slowing them down? Zero Trust answers that question by making security invisible yet uncompromising. Employees work from anywhere, home, client sites, airports, without clunky VPNs or endless password resets. Behind the scenes, every login is verified, every device assessed, every anomaly flagged. If something looks wrong, a compromised credential, an unusual location, the system reacts…
Shadow AI: Executive Briefing on Real Risks, Business Impact and Mitigation
Shadow AI is here, and it’s growing Shadow AI is the use of artificial intelligence tools and platforms outside the oversight of IT, security, or compliance teams. This is not a hypothetical concern. KPMG’s 2025 global survey found that up to 58% of employees are using AI productivity tools daily, and nearly half admit to uploading sensitive company information to unauthorised platforms. Only 41% of employees say their organisation has a policy guiding the use of generative AI, revealing a significant governance gap. The Risks Are Real and Substantial The evidence from leading analysts and recent incidents is clear:…
Cyber Resilience in 2025: From Tick-Box to Boardroom Imperative
What the NCSC’s 2025 Review Means for UK Businesses The National Cyber Security Centre’s (NCSC) 2025 Annual Review is a wake-up call for business leaders across the UK. The days when cyber security was simply an IT concern or a routine compliance task are over. With a record number of nationally significant cyber incidents handled in the past year (more than double the previous year’s figure), it is clear that cyber risks have become a central issue for organisational survival and national prosperity. The Evolving Threat: Why Businesses Can’t Afford Complacency No sector has been spared in the latest…
Is Your MSP Really Helping You Grow — Or Just Keeping the Lights On?
There’s a moment in every business where the question quietly surfaces: “Are we getting what we really need from our IT provider?” It’s not always easy to answer. On the surface, things seem fine. Tickets are resolved. Reports arrive. There’s someone to call when things go wrong. It’s familiar. It’s comfortable. And that comfort can be deceiving. Because beneath the surface, many organisations are stuck in a service relationship that feels safe — but is actually stagnant. And here’s the truth: comfort isn’t the same as progress. For many, the idea of changing MSPs or challenging the…
The 2025 State of Ransomware: Key Insights on Attacks, Costs, and Recovery
Ransomware continues to evolve — and so must our defenses. The State of Ransomware 2025 report from Sophos presents one of the most comprehensive views yet into how organisations around the world are being impacted by ransomware attacks. Based on an independent survey of 3,400 IT and cybersecurity leaders across 17 countries, the report explores how attacks are evolving, the operational weaknesses adversaries exploit, and the human and financial tolls that follow. Whether you’re building a cybersecurity strategy or assessing risk, this year’s findings offer crucial, real-world insights to guide your response. Key Findings from…