F E A T U R E

ESET ’ s findings reveal that nearly three-quarters ( 73 %) of institutions surveyed have experienced at least one cyberattack or breach in the past five years , with a fifth reporting three or more incidents .

This aligns with government data from 2024 , which found that 77 % of education organisations had experienced a breach or attack in the previous year – far higher than the 50 % of UK businesses overall that had been targeted .

Despite being a key target for cyberthreats , one-third of education institutions surveyed still lack fundamental protections , such as antivirus software ( 33 %) and strong password policies ( 35 % 2 ). Additionally , the majority ( 79 %) have not adopted advanced measures like managed detection and response .

Another key but often overlooked safeguard is cyberinsurance , which , according to government data , under half of primary schools ( 44 %) and even fewer secondary schools ( 36 %) report having in place . In fact , the ESET findings reveal that 7 % of institutions operate without an annual cybersecurity budget at all .

This cybersecurity shortfall not only jeopardises organisational data but puts sensitive student information at risk .

The cybersecurity shortcomings in UK education pose a serious risk to medical training institutions , where safeguarding sensitive patient data and research is critical . With 73 % of institutions experiencing cyberattacks , medical schools face increased threats to student records , research data , and training systems . A lack of robust cybersecurity measures could disrupt online learning platforms ,

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