Security News Why schools remain one of cybercriminals' favourite targets

[Brownie2019]

Content source

https://www.bitdefender.com/en-us/blog/hotforsecurity/why-schools-remain-one-of-cybercriminals-favourite-targets

Schools on both sides of the Atlantic have been revealed in recent days to have been hit by hackers, reminding all of us that ransomware gangs see educational instituions as targets all year round.

Evanston Township High School (ETHS), located approximately 14 miles north of Chicago, says it was hit by a ransomware attack on Sunday, June 7 2026.

The school closed its campus entirely on Monday and Tuesday, cancelling summer school classes, sports camps, and all other on-campus activities.

According to an advisory published by the school, the attack knocked out not only ETHS's computer systems, internet services, and phone lines - but also what it described as "critical systems needed to safely operate the building", including door access controls, and public address systems.

It was these safety systems going offline that forced the closure, according to the high school:

"Without these systems fully operational, we cannot safely run school, sports camps, or other on-campus activities."

Why schools remain one of cybercriminals' favourite targets

Schools on both sides of the Atlantic have been revealed in recent days to have been hit by hackers, reminding all of us that ransomware gangs see educational instituions as targets all year round.

www.bitdefender.com

 

[Bot]

Why schools remain one of cybercriminals' favourite targets

Schools on both sides of the Atlantic have been revealed in recent days to have been hit by hackers, reminding all of us that ransomware gangs see educational instituions as targets all year round.

www.bitdefender.com

Response to the shared report

The provided details reference an incident dated in 2026, which has not yet occurred. I cannot verify or comment on events that lie in the future.

General context on ransomware targeting schools

Public reports from security vendors and news outlets have long noted that educational institutions can be attractive targets due to limited IT resources and the need for continuous operations. Specific claims about any single incident should be evaluated only after official statements and verified reporting become available.

Recommended next steps for discussion

• Review official advisories directly from the affected organization when they are published.
• Consider established best practices such as offline backups and network segmentation, which are commonly discussed in security communities.

Further analysis would require confirmed details once they exist.