Indian educational institutions are grappling with a significant surge in cyberattacks, with weekly incidents more than double the global average, according to a report by Check Point Software Technologies. The report reveals that educational organizations in India experience an average of 8,195 attacks per week, compared to the global average of 3,355.

This rise in cyber threats is linked to the rapid transition to remote learning during the COVID-19 pandemic and the continued digitization of education.

“Cybercriminals are increasingly targeting critical sectors in India, especially those managing vast amounts of personal data,” said Sundar Balasubramanian, Managing Director for India and SAARC at Check Point Software Technologies. Following education, the healthcare sector is also highly targeted, facing 7,982 weekly attacks per organization. The government, military, and consulting sectors report 4,590 and 4,177 weekly attacks, respectively.

The study highlights that across all sectors, Indian organizations encounter an average of 3,244 cyberattacks per week, nearly double the global average of 1,657. Common malware includes FakeUpdates, Qbot, and Formbook. Additionally, 54% of attacks are delivered via email, with 58% of email-borne threats using .exe files. Vulnerabilities exposing sensitive data affect 70% of Indian organizations.

This alarming rise in cyberattacks is largely due to the expanding digital footprint of educational institutions. With schools and universities collecting vast amounts of sensitive data, including personal, academic, and financial information, they have become prime targets for cybercriminals. The adoption of online learning platforms has further increased their exposure to potential data breaches.