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Cybercriminals are likely targeting schools, according to an Alert issued jointly by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), and the Multi-State Information Sharing and Analysis Center (MS-ISAC). The Joint Cybersecurity Advisory warns that cyberattacks against K-12 educational institutions are on the rise, resulting in the disruption of remote learning, data theft, and ransomware attacks.

While learning has shifted online due to the COVID-19 pandemic, cybercriminals increasingly view schools as targets of opportunity. Schools are particularly vulnerable to cyberattacks since they were forced to quickly shift to remote learning environments in response to the pandemic; many staff members and students are new to online learning platforms; and many districts lack the resources to adequately safeguard their IT systems from mounting threats.