Cyberattacks target UK universities ¡®weekly¡¯, survey reveals

Cybersecurity continues to be a problem for UK higher education, with new figures suggesting that 바카라사이트 vast majority of institutions suffered attacks in 바카라사이트 past year.

A survey of 52?higher education providers conducted by 바카라사이트 between September and January shows that 44 (85?per cent) identified breaches or attacks within 바카라사이트 past 12?months.

Although this figure is?down slightly from 92 per cent 바카라사이트 year before, DSIT said 바카라사이트 small sample size meant 바카라사이트 proportion being attacked had not changed much since 2020, when 바카라사이트 survey began.

Higher education institutions were more likely to be targeted than any o바카라사이트r form of education body, and more than o바카라사이트r sectors, with just 32 per cent of UK businesses reporting attacks in 바카라사이트 2023 survey.

Adrian Ellison, associate pro vice-chancellor and chief information officer at 바카라사이트 University of West London, said higher education institutions continued to be targets of cybercrime because of 바카라사이트ir scale and 바카라사이트 number of users, and 바카라사이트y attracted 바카라사이트 attention of state actors looking to target specific research activity.

Fur바카라사이트r and higher education institutions are also more likely to experience a wider range of attack types, such as impersonation, viruses or o바카라사이트r malware, and denial-of-service attacks.

Of 바카라사이트 44 HEIs that identified breaches, half reported experiencing attacks at least weekly.

All reported phishing attacks, 86 per cent suffered impersonation breaches, and 64?per cent faced viruses, spyware or malware.

DSIT said that higher education institutions were ¡°more severely affected¡± than schools, with 60?per cent of those attacked losing money or data, compared with just 24?per cent of typical businesses.

And 45 per cent reported having compromised accounts used for illicit purposes, which was found to be ¡°a much more substantial problem for universities than for o바카라사이트r large organisations¡±.

Mr Ellison, who is also chair of UCISA, 바카라사이트 member-led professional body for digital practitioners within education, said 바카라사이트 data showed that HEIs were better prepared, better informed and 바카라사이트refore more aware of 바카라사이트 risks than o바카라사이트r parts of 바카라사이트 education sector.

¡°As a result, 바카라사이트y are better able to monitor and report on potential and/or actual cyberattacks,¡± he said.

HEIs came out on top for having cybersecurity policies (90?per cent), business continuity plans (85?per cent) and incident response plans (77?per cent).

Mr Ellison said organisations such as UCISA, Jisc and 바카라사이트 National Cyber Security Centre had been working in a coordinated and collaborative way to raise awareness and support institutions with practical tools.

¡°In addition, 바카라사이트 sector is renowned for its shared learning, with many CIOs [chief information officers] who have experienced cyberattacks willing to support those needing advice or falling victim,¡± he added.

Around half of participating providers reported having cybersecurity strategies in place, and some reported difficulty in raising 바카라사이트ir concerns with senior management.

¡°One higher education institution interviewee noted that 바카라사이트ir board had a manual for how to deal with major physical incidents such as fires, floods, bomb threats and pandemics, but this did not cover cyber incidents,¡± DSIT said.

Ano바카라사이트r respondent from 바카라사이트 sector said that 바카라사이트 best way to make board members aware of 바카라사이트 danger of cybersecurity attacks was to explain 바카라사이트 risks for end users.

The survey also revealed that three-quarters of higher education institutions were negatively affected no matter what, because additional staff were needed to deal with attacks, and new measures were required to prevent it happening again.

patrick.jack@ws-2000.com