Education Now the World’s Most-Attacked Sector as Cybercriminals Gear Up for Back-to-School
Brief
Education has overtaken every other industry to become the most targeted sector for cyberattacks worldwide, according to new research from Check Point , with threat actors ramping up activity in the run-up to the new academic year.
Between January and July 2026, schools, colleges, universities and research institutes faced an average of 4,696 weekly cyberattacks per organisation, an 8% rise on the same period in 2025 and more than double the cross-industry average of 2,150 weekly attacks. Education topped all 23 industries tracked by Check Point, recording attack volumes roughly 70% higher than government, the next most-targeted sector.
In July alone, weekly attacks against education organisations climbed to 4,848, up 14% year-on-year, as the new term approached.