Schools are among the top targets of ransomware attacks. In fact, a school ransomware study by Sophos shows that almost 80% of lower education institutions surveyed experienced a ransomware attack in 2023. These attacks can result in steep recovery costs, but more importantly, they can compromise the security of staff and student personal information.

In this article, we’ll explain how a school ransomware attack happens, what its consequences may be, and what measures can be taken to protect your child’s information in case their school becomes a cyberattack target.

What Is Ransomware?

Ransomware is a type of malicious software (known as malware) that infects and encrypts your files so you can no longer access them. Once you’re locked out of your computer or files, the hackers demand a ransom payment to restore access—typically, you’ll get a message demanding payment to decrypt your files, usually in cryptocurrency like Bitcoin. If you don’t pay, you risk losing access to your files permanently.

Ransomware is commonly spread through compromised websites, software vulnerabilities, and phishing emails containing malicious links or attachments. The attackers often disguise the emails as legitimate messages from well-known companies to trick victims into clicking on them. Once the malware infects your system, it can spread rapidly to shared network drives and backups.

The damage from ransomware attacks can be severe, highlighting why cybersecurity awareness and education are so important.

How School Ransomware Attacks Happen

A school ransomware attack can occur as a result of various vulnerabilities in an institution’s digital infrastructure. Some of the most common methods include:

• Phishing emails—Cybercriminals often initiate ransomware attacks through phishing emails. These emails are designed to look legitimate and trick users with malicious attachments or links that, when opened, download ransomware onto their devices, granting attackers access to the school’s network
• Exploiting vulnerabilities—Hackers look for security holes in networks and software to gain access and deploy ransomware. It’s crucial for schools to regularly update systems and software to patch vulnerabilities
• Insider threats—In some cases, current or former students, faculty, or staff with malicious intent may carry out ransomware attacks, leveraging their familiarity with the institution’s network
• Unsecured Internet of Things (IoT) devices—Schools increasingly use IoT devices that connect to each other and the school network to exchange data, such as smart boards and security cameras. If these devices lack security features, they can serve as entry points for attackers

Once inside the system, the ransomware encrypts files and data and then displays a message demanding payment from the school.

Why Schools Are a Top Target of Ransomware Attacks

Schools are a prime target for cybercriminals because they often have limited budgets for cybersecurity resources, making them uniquely vulnerable. Their data is also extremely valuable—schools maintain records for all students, staff, and faculty containing sensitive personal information like:

• Social Security numbers
• Dates of birth
• Addresses
• Medical records
• Full name
• Phone numbers

This data can be leveraged to launch targeted phishing campaigns, perform identity theft, or be sold on dark web marketplaces.

While schools do implement measures to protect this data, they’re often underfunded, so their cyber defenses are weak compared to those of large corporations. Ransomware attackers see schools as an easy target, and the sensitive data they possess makes educational institutions willing to pay large ransoms to recover access and avoid data breaches.

The Consequences of School Ransomware Attacks

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The consequences of a school ransomware attack can be severe. Schools hold sensitive data and play an important role in communities, so attacks on them reverberate widely. Here are four major consequences of school ransomware attacks:

1. Financial impact
2. Loss of data
3. Disruption of learning
4. Reputational damage

Financial Impact

Rectifying a ransomware attack is costly. According to the survey by Sophos, lower education providers in 14 countries who paid ransoms incurred an average recovery cost of approximately $2.18 million.

Although some schools pay ransoms to restore access quickly, paying to restore data and upgrade security diverts funds from being used for education. In addition, the loss in productivity during downtime and possible legal fees if the school is sued over the incident can contribute to the financial impact.

Loss of Data

Ransomware often encrypts or deletes files before a school can respond. This can result in personal records, student assignments, and administrative documents being lost forever. Rebuilding such data—if possible at all—requires enormous effort and may never be complete. This loss undercuts a school’s duty to safeguard information.

Disruption of Learning

Schools rely heavily on technology for teaching, grading, communication, and tracking attendance. Once the ransomware infects the system, access to all files, data, and systems is lost, which disrupts activities and impacts productivity.

To remedy the situation, the school must either pay the ransom, restore from backups, or rebuild systems. All options require time, money, and resources to implement. Valuable class time is lost, and students miss out on learning. In addition, the staff has to put in extra effort to continue operations manually until systems are restored.

Reputational Damage

News of an attack can harm a school’s reputation and worry parents, staff, and the community. Though not directly at fault, a school may be considered vulnerable or irresponsible as a result of a ransomware attack. Rebuilding trust and confidence requires transparency, accountability, and demonstrable improvements to security—a long process with no guarantee of success.

Recent School Ransomware Attacks

Recent months have seen an alarming uptick in ransomware attacks targeting schools. In 2023 alone, at least 50 K-12 schools across the U.S. have been affected by this crime. Here are some of the most damaging school ransomware attacks in recent months: 

• During a school cybersecurity summit in the White House in August 2023, Emerson Schools in New Jersey was added to Medusa’s “hostage list,” and the attackers demanded a $100,000 ransom payment in Bitcoin to delete the stolen information
• The Chambersburg Area School District was recently hit by a ransomware attack that disrupted its network and affected the functionality of certain computer systems, prompting the district to bring in forensic experts
• Minneapolis Public Schools suffered a ransomware attack in February 2023 that impacted school systems, including internet access and alarms. Most of the affected systems were restored, and encrypted data was recovered from backup
• In April 2023, the Rochester Public Schools in Minnesota faced a ransomware attack that disrupted access to its computer network and software systems. Some employee and student information was stolen during the incident. The attackers demanded an undisclosed ransom, which officials refused to pay

What Schools Can Do To Protect Themselves From Ransomware Attacks

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To protect themselves from ransomware attacks, schools should take a multi-pronged approach:

Protective Measure	What It Entails
Education and training	Educating all staff and students on cybersecurity risks like phishing and holding regular cybersecurity drills and simulations to spread awareness
Regular backups	Regularly backing up all critical data and systems and storing backups offline and offsite
Firewalls and web filtering	Implementing strong firewalls and email filters to block malicious links, attachments, and phishing attempts from reaching staff and students
Engaging experts	Having IT professionals conduct regular cybersecurity audits to identify weak spots in networks and systems that could be exploited and to patch any vulnerabilities
Incident response plan	Outlining the steps that should be taken in case of infection, complete with information on who to contact and how to contain the spread as quickly as possible
Insurance	Offsetting damage costs with cybersecurity insurance policies, which can also contain information on cybersecurity resources

While no institution is 100% safe from ransomware and other cyber threats, focusing on education, preparation, and protection can help minimize disruptions. Constantly assessing risks and updating systems and processes will make schools a less appealing target over time.

With these measures, schools can protect the personal information of their students and staff from hackers and malicious individuals. For extra peace of mind that their private information is safe in any scenario, families seeking comprehensive identity protection can consider a dedicated service like FreeKick.

FreeKick—Comprehensive Identity Protection for the Whole Family

Powered by Austin Capital Bank, FreeKick provides premium identity protection for up to two parents and six children aged 0 to 25. And that’s not all—at the same time, FreeKick offers credit-building features for children aged 13 to 25 to help them get a handle on their financial future early on.

Identity Protection Services

FreeKick’s identity protection services help monitor, safeguard, and restore the identities of all your family members. To help you protect your child’s identity as well as your own, FreeKick offers an extensive array of features:

Services for Adult Children and Parents	Services for Minor Children
Credit profile monitoring Social Security number monitoring Dark web monitoring for personal information Up to $1 million identity theft insurance Full-service white-glove concierge credit restoration Lost wallet protection Court records monitoring Change of address monitoring Non-credit (Payday) loan monitoring Free FICO® Score monthly FICO® Score factors Experian credit report monthly	Credit profile monitoring Social Security number monitoring Dark web monitoring for children’s personal information Up to $1 million identity theft insurance Full-service white-glove concierge credit restoration Sex offender monitoring—based on sponsor parent’s address

Parent-Sponsored Credit Building

FreeKick goes beyond identity monitoring to help your children aged 13–25 build their credit history early on with a parent-backed credit-building system. Note that establishing a strong credit profile early in life can save your child up to $200,000 throughout adulthood.

Initiating your child’s credit journey is a straightforward process—all you need to do is click Activate Credit Building in your account dashboard when your child turns 13. Once they become legal adults (age 18 in most states), they can select Activate Credit Reporting to start reporting their credit history. However, if your child is already 18 or older, there’s no need for this extra step—FreeKick will report it for them to all three major credit bureaus:

1. Experian
2. Equifax
3. TransUnion

To help you get a clearer picture, here’s a breakdown of the process:

1. Create an Account—Visit FreeKick.bank and choose a plan that meets your deposit requirements
2. Set It and Forget It—After activating credit building, FreeKick takes action by creating a 12-month credit history for your child via a no-interest installment loan
3. Keep Growing—When the 12-month period comes to an end, you have the choice to either renew the account for another term or close it and receive a refund of your initial deposit

FreeKick Pricing

To suit every budget, FreeKick offers flexible pricing options. Each plan comes with top-notch identity protection for two parents and up to six children aged 0 to 25, as well as credit building for up to six children between the ages of 13 and 25. All the deposits are FDIC-insured up to $250,000.

FDIC-Insured Deposit Amount	Annual Fee
$3,000	$0 (Free)
No deposit	$149

Set your children on a path to financial success and fortify your family’s identity security—sign up for FreeKick today.