Top Cyber Threats Schools Must Watch

In today’s classrooms, the same Wi-Fi network that delivers attendance systems and online testing also carries payroll, email, and student data. While this digital backbone has enabled modern learning, it has also created an expanding attack surface for cybercriminals. And with AI-powered threats accelerating faster than traditional defenses can adapt, K–12 districts need to know what dangers are coming next and how to prepare.

Drawing on insights from CyberNut’s white paper Staying Ahead of the Curve: Cybersecurity in the Age of AI, this article highlights the top cyber threats schools face this year and what leaders can do now to strengthen their defenses.

1. Business Email Compromise (BEC)

Phishing emails have long been a risk, but AI is supercharging their sophistication. Attackers now send grammatically flawless, contextually accurate messages that mimic trusted colleagues. The School District of Philadelphia lost nearly $700,000 in 2024 after fraudsters tricked staff into redirecting ACH payments.

Why schools are vulnerable:

• High email volume during budget and testing seasons makes staff more likely to click in haste.
• Finance teams often face urgent requests that bypass standard verification.

Action Step: Enforce a two-person rule for wire transfers, introduce 24-hour holds on large payments, and train accounts payable staff to recognize pressure tactics.

2. File-Sharing Platform Phishing

Attackers are increasingly abusing Google Drive, SharePoint, OneDrive, and Dropbox to deliver phishing attempts that look legitimate because they originate from trusted domains. The “file” often contains malicious links or instructions disguised as routine communication.

Why schools are vulnerable:

• Teachers and administrators rely heavily on shared docs for collaboration.
• Automated trust in well-known domains makes staff less cautious.

Action Step: Configure alerts for unusual file-sharing behavior, and train staff to verify unexpected share requests—even when they appear to come from Google.

3. Unpatched Vulnerabilities

School portals, VPNs, and staff sign-in systems are like “digital doors.” When updates are delayed during busy seasons, attackers exploit old flaws. Verizon’s 2025 Data Breach Investigations Report found that only 54% of critical vulnerabilities were patched within a year, leaving doors wide open.

Why schools are vulnerable:

• Small IT teams struggle to prioritize patch management amid daily help desk requests.
• Busy cycles like back-to-school often push updates to the bottom of the list.

Action Step: Keep a short, live list of internet-facing systems and patch those within days—not weeks. Track patching progress as a KPI to present to the board.

4. Stolen Credentials and Infostealers

Many staff save passwords in browsers or stay signed into accounts. Malware known as “infostealers” silently extracts these logins and sells them on the black market. Over half of ransomware victims in 2024 were first exposed in infostealer dumps, according to Verizon.

Why schools are vulnerable:

• Shared and personal devices mix in classrooms.
• Staff often reuse weak passwords across multiple systems.

Action Step: Require phishing-resistant MFA for high-value accounts like SIS, HR, and finance. Monitor for compromised credentials on leak sites.

5. Third-Party Breaches

Districts rely on outside vendors for student information systems, LMS platforms, payroll, and testing tools. If a vendor is compromised, schools share in the fallout. The PowerSchool breach of late 2024 exposed data nationwide, forcing mass family notifications.

Why schools are vulnerable:

• Vendor contracts rarely include robust cybersecurity clauses.
• Districts often lack visibility into how vendors secure sensitive data.

Action Step: Require minimum security standards—MFA, breach notification timelines, and audit rights—in every vendor contract.

6. Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) Attacks

DDoS attacks nearly doubled at the start of the 2024–25 school year, according to NetScout. By flooding school networks with fake traffic, attackers disrupt phones, portals, and online testing—often at the worst possible time.

Why schools are vulnerable:

• Testing weeks and enrollment periods rely on uninterrupted connectivity.
• Attackers know exactly when disruption will cause the most chaos.

Action Step: Partner with your ISP to set up DDoS mitigation protocols before critical periods like state testing.

7. Human Error and “Shadow AI”

Sometimes the biggest risks come from well-meaning staff. Mistakenly emailing sensitive transportation data, as happened in St. Louis Park, Minnesota, can expose thousands of students. Meanwhile, staff using personal AI accounts for lesson planning can unknowingly upload sensitive student information into uncontrolled environments.

Why schools are vulnerable:

• Staff are often undertrained in data privacy.
• “Helpful” shortcuts with AI tools bypass district oversight.

Action Step: Provide clear policies on what data can and cannot be shared with AI tools, and make district-approved options easy to access.

8. Ransomware and Data Extortion

Ransomware remains a nightmare scenario: attackers lock up systems and demand payment, often threatening to leak sensitive student or staff data. Recovery without preparation can take weeks and cost millions.

Why schools are vulnerable:

• Overextended IT staff may lack tested backups.
• Incident response playbooks are often missing or outdated.

Action Step: Test your backup restoration process this semester and rehearse incident response with leadership. The time to discover gaps is not during an active breach.

9. Deepfakes and AI-Powered Impersonation

AI voice and video cloning is no longer futuristic. In one real-world case, a deepfaked CFO convinced staff to transfer $25 million. Imagine a deepfake call from someone who sounds exactly like your superintendent.

Why schools are vulnerable:

• Staff are not trained to question familiar voices or faces.
• AI tools now make impersonation fast, cheap, and convincing.

Action Step: Train staff to verify unusual requests—even if they come from a “trusted” voice or video feed.

10. Students on the Frontline

Students are both targets and potential defenders. States like North Dakota are requiring cybersecurity coursework for every student, while others lag behind. Equipping students to spot phishing emails today can build lifelong habits.

Why schools are vulnerable:

• Students often lack digital skepticism.
• Devices are frequently shared and less controlled.

Action Step: Make cybersecurity part of digital citizenship training. Short, interactive lessons—rather than long lectures—help students retain skills.

Final Thoughts

Cybersecurity in K–12 is no longer a niche IT concern—it’s a district-wide responsibility. From AI-powered phishing to unpatched systems and vendor breaches, schools face an evolving threat landscape that requires vigilance, training, and tested strategies.

To go deeper into each of these threats and learn actionable defenses your district can implement today, download the full white paper:
Staying Ahead of the Curve: Cybersecurity in the Age of AI

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