A new report warns that cybersecurity risks in K-12 schools are escalating, with student digital identities becoming prime targets for cybercriminals. The Cybersecure 2025 report, released by Clever, highlights a rise in cyberattacks on school systems, with phishing, ransomware, and distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attacks becoming more frequent.
By the numbers:
- 74% of administrators expect a cyber incident this year (up from 71% last year).
- 5% of students have multi-factor authentication, compared to 90% of teachers and 95% of IT staff.
- $3.7 billion in cybersecurity funding was requested from the FCC’s E-rate program—but only $200 million was allocated.
Driving the news: Schools are struggling with AI-related security risks. 70% of administrators say AI is making cybersecurity threats worse, yet only 9% have formal vetting processes for AI tools
Go deeper: A recent report from the Consortium for School Networking (CoSN) highlights state efforts to combat rising cyber threats. In 2024, 16 states introduced 28 K-12 cybersecurity bills, focusing on staff training, funding programs, and stricter incident reporting rules.
