Cybersecurity Education Statistics For Higher Education

Cybersecurity Education Statistics

If you’re in higher education and looking for cybersecurity education statistics, you’ve come to the right place. Unfortunately, a lack of security awareness has led to a growing threat. Many higher education institutions have not taken cybersecurity education seriously, and they are suffering as a result. The number of cyberattacks against educational institutions is on the rise, and these attacks can be extremely damaging. According to the Center for Internet Security, more than half of all reported data breaches in higher ed occurred between 2015 and 2018.

While there are many important Cybersecurity education statistics, it’s important to remember that fewer than 40% of schools provide any formal cybersecurity education, while 48% only teach basic digital literacy. The most commonly taught cybersecurity subject is cyberbullying, and student knowledge of cybersecurity is lower in public schools and in economically challenged areas. However, school districts do use firewalls and web content filters, and 96% use cloud security technology in their schools. Despite these alarming statistics, they’re clearly not enough to keep up with the escalating cyber threats.

Although there are many benefits to a formal education in cybersecurity, schools are not putting any resources into cybersecurity. Only one in five school districts have a full-time staff dedicated to the subject. Meanwhile, cybercriminals have learned that children are an easy target for social engineering and other cyberattacks. While most schools are investing in robotics and coding, the majority are neglecting cybersecurity altogether. The results of this survey show that schools are lagging far behind their counterparts when it comes to internal and external cybersecurity.

Cybersecurity Education Statistics For Higher Education

Even though the American public school system has a number of vulnerabilities, most lack basic IT support and security protocols. This is a major problem for school systems. Without the proper training, sophisticated cybercriminals have learned that kids are a prime target for social engineering attacks. As a result, more than 40 percent of K-12 cyber incidents involve data breaches. Another 12 percent involve ransomware. And finally, many schools don’t have a traditional distance learning system, so they use their funds on robotics or coding.

Despite these statistics, education institutions should prioritize cybersecurity. There are many challenges in this field, including limited resources, but cybersecurity is vital to the safety and security of students. A recent study shows that 88% of cyberattacks in healthcare organizations were caused by social engineering, while only 43% occurred in higher education. And while these numbers are small, they indicate the need for greater awareness. Educators should consider these statistics when making decisions about how to improve their institutions’ security.

While the FBI lists cybersecurity as one of the most important public-sector cybersecurity threats, only about half of all schools actually offer cybersecurity education. A few districts, however, do not even have a dedicated staff to educate students on the topic. Most of these schools simply have a few cybersecurity classes. It’s not a bad idea to have your child learn about cybersecurity. It’s critical that students learn about these issues and develop the knowledge necessary to protect themselves and others.