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Malware attacks on the rise in higher ed

Malware attacks against higher education institutions rose by 26% percent in 2022, according to SonicWall's 2023 Cyber Threat Report. 
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Malware attacks against higher education institutions rose by 26% last year, according to SonicWall’s 2023 Cyber Threat Report

The report, published earlier this month, found that while malware attacks rose, ransomware attacks targeting higher education institutions declined 29% last year.

Malware targeting connected smart devices rose 146% in the education sector last year, and encrypted malware attacks over HTTPS rose 411%, the report said. 

Richard Forno, assistant director of the University of Maryland Baltimore County Center for Cybersecurity, told Inside Higher Ed it’s more common to encounter malware online than ransomware. 

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“If you’re a college student in a dorm room or a staff or faculty member browsing a website or on social media, you may eventually download some malicious software,” Forno said. 

While higher education institutions saw increases in malware attacks, K-12 institutions fared much worse, with attacks increasing 323% in 2022. Forno told Inside Higher Ed that K-12 institutions are more likely to face budget limitations.

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