How account takeover is reshaping higher-ed cyber risk

Higher-education institutions have long invested in strengthening their digital perimeters by securing networks, modernizing identity systems and moving to the cloud. But a new report from Scoop News Group, underwritten by Proofpoint, argues that today’s most pressing cyber threat doesn’t come from breaking those defenses. Instead, attackers are logging in.

Account takeover (ATO) attacks — where cybercriminals gain access to legitimate user credentials through phishing or social engineering — are rapidly becoming the dominant threat across campuses. Once inside, attackers can move laterally, impersonate trusted users and access sensitive systems ranging from financial aid to federally funded research.

This shift reflects a deeper vulnerability in higher education: a culture of openness that encourages collaboration, information sharing and broad access. Combined with decentralized IT environments and a constantly changing population of students, faculty and staff, campuses present a uniquely complex security landscape.

The report highlights Proofpoint research that more than 70% of successful breaches now involve a human element, such as phishing or credential misuse. In many cases, the initial compromise is only the beginning. In addition, nearly 60% of breached accounts are later used to launch internal phishing campaigns or impersonation attacks, allowing threats to spread quickly through trusted channels.

Modern ATO attacks are also more sophisticated than traditional phishing attempts. Threat actors increasingly use targeted, context-aware lures, such as financial aid notices or academic alerts, and exploit techniques like OAuth abuse or session hijacking to maintain persistent access. Once embedded, they can evade detection by operating within normal user behavior, often remaining undetected for months.

These dynamics expose the limits of traditional cybersecurity approaches. Tools like multifactor authentication and email filtering remain essential, but they are not foolproof. As a result, security leaders in higher education are rethinking their strategies. The report emphasizes a shift from perimeter-based defenses to identity-centric security — focusing on monitoring user behavior, detecting anomalies and responding to threats throughout the lifecycle of an account.

This approach includes establishing behavioral baselines, identifying high-risk users and deploying automated responses to contain threats before they spread. It also underscores the importance of user awareness, not as a one-time training exercise but as an ongoing, contextual effort to reduce risk. The stakes are high. Beyond financial losses, repeated account compromises erode trust, disrupt academic operations and strain already limited IT resources.

As digital transformation accelerates across higher education, the report makes clear that protecting identities is now synonymous with protecting the institution itself. Colleges and universities that adapt to this reality, by combining strong identity controls with behavioral insights and rapid response, will be better positioned to defend against one of the most persistent and evolving threats they face.

Download the full report for a deeper look at the findings and recommended strategies.

This article was produced by Scoop News Group for EdScoop and sponsored by Proofpoint.