From Phishing to Fake Intelligence: Why Cybersecurity Matters More Than Ever

Schools today manage more digital information than ever before, from sensitive student records and wellbeing notes to financial data and family contact details. With this comes an undeniable responsibility: Keeping that information safe.

Cybersecurity has always been important, but in recent years, schools have become a growing target for cybercriminals. Why? Because the data they hold is highly valuable, yet many schools are still catching up when it comes to digital protection.

Now, with the rapid rise of Artificial Intelligence (AI), the challenge has shifted again. AI brings opportunities for education, but it also opens new doors for cyber threats. Smarter phishing attacks, AI-generated scams, and more sophisticated intrusions mean schools can no longer rely on “good enough” security measures.

The question every school must ask is clear: How do we keep ahead of threats in the age of AI, and protect our students, staff, and community?

The Evolving Cybersecurity Landscape in Education

Schools house vast amounts of critical and sensitive information. According to a recent Microsoft Cyber Signals report, education is the third most targeted industry when it comes to cyberattacks.

Microsoft describes the education sector as an “industry of industries”. This is due to the varying degrees of complexity seen across K-12 schools and universities, geography-specific limitations, and the availability of resources. Schools and universities often face a shortage of IT resources and staff, and can be running a mix of modern and legacy systems, which can increase their risk of being targeted.

According to a recent report published by Secure Schools, the main cybersecurity risks schools face are:

• Account Compromise: From the schools surveyed, only 46% of them stated that all applicable IT accounts had multi-factor authentication (MFA) enforced, leaving systems open to credential-based threats.
• Ransomware and Data Lockouts: 46% of schools reported having sufficient backups to operate during unplanned outages, while only 15% of schools stated they conduct termly backups.
• Unpatched Systems and Supply Chain Risks: 22% of schools stated they conduct regular vulnerability tests on their systems, while only 33% of schools install software patches in a timely fashion.
• Policy Rollout and Compliance: 50% of schools utilise a password policy, and less than 20% of schools have a dedicated staff member overseeing the cybersecurity policies.
• Phishing Attacks: According to the report, email remains the primary route for cyber attacks, yet many schools indicated that training on phishing attacks is not common.

Earlier this year, the University of Notre Dame Australia was hit by a ransomware attack. In a statement released by the university, it was revealed that student information and Tax File Numbers for a group of students were affected, but the effects didn’t stop there. According to an article published by the Australian Financial Review, students were unable to enrol in classes, forced to repeat units, and placed at risk of losing their graduate jobs because of online system issues that lingered from the cyberattack six months prior.

While it is clear that education remains a target for cyber criminals and that we are seeing these attacks locally, are they evolving and becoming more complex as technology advances?

The AI Boom: A Double-edged Sword

In recent years, AI has become a hot topic in the education sector for a number of reasons. While we mostly hear about the use of AI in a classroom setting, it can also assist IT and security teams outside the classroom.

Tools like Microsoft Security Copilot can help increase the efficiency and capabilities of IT staff to improve security outcomes. IT teams can be inundated with a multitude of issues and often under-resourced, so AI tools can be leveraged to improve efficiency and assist with troubleshooting IT issues, investigating threats, and managing policies.

While AI can be used to aid in cybersecurity, it is important to look at the other side of this scenario. How are cyber criminals leveraging AI to strengthen their processes?

The increasing prevalence of AI means that the cybercrime landscape is ever-changing. According to the Annual Cyber Threat Report published by the Australian Government, AI will allow cybercriminals to undertake more labour-intensive activities, such as generating phishing content more efficiently and on a larger scale. The report also states that AI can be used to create new methods of social engineering attacks, such as imitating voices.

The report has also put together a hypothetical process of how a cybercriminal can use AI:

1. Identify Target: A cybercriminal identifies someone they want to target with a phishing email.
2. Profile Target: The cybercriminal asks AI to generate information about this person and their workplace. The AI is able to draw on public information and provides it to the cybercriminal.
3. Tailor Content: Based on the information provided by AI, it is then used to create a phishing email to the target.
4. Deliver phishing email: The email is then sent to the targeted person, who follows the link included, which is infected with a keylogger.
5. Steal Credentials: The targeted person logs into their work email as usual, and because of the keylogger, our cybercriminal steals their username and password.

Why Cybersecurity is Non-negotiable for Schools

Schools house a multitude of sensitive data; from medical information to academic reports and financial and payroll information. A cyberattack will not only compromise this important data but also disrupt learning, damage reputations, and erode trust within your school community.

As regulations around privacy and data protection continue to tighten, schools must not only protect their systems, but they must also demonstrate compliance and accountability. The stakes are high, and the margin for error is shrinking.

At The Alpha School System, we take cybersecurity seriously, and for good reason. In today’s digital age, safeguarding your school’s data and privacy is no laughing matter. We understand the importance of keeping your data secure, and that’s why we go the extra mile to ensure your peace of mind. Some of the key things we do to help your school stay cyber resilient include:

• Maintaining our ISO27001 certification
• Industry standard SAML SSO & MFA
• Regular penetration testing on our products
• Secure API methodologies
• Enforcing HTTPS
• Same day and local technical support

Cybersecurity in education is no longer “nice to have”; it is non-negotiable. As schools continue to embrace digital tools and AI-driven innovation, the risks grow alongside the rewards. From phishing scams to AI-powered attacks, the threats are evolving rapidly, and schools must evolve with them.

Because when it comes to safeguarding students, staff, and the wider school community, there’s no room for compromise. Click the link below to learn more about how The Alpha School System's family of products keeps your school data secure.