Education Ransomware Statistics

Nearly 40% of schools feel underprepared for ransomware in 2025

Half of school IT leaders view ransomware as a serious threat to learning continuity in 2025

Nearly half the cryptomining attacks analysed by Akamai researchers targeted nonprofit and educational organizations.

Almost 40% of ransomware attacks in the US targeted the education sector

In higher education specifically, ransomware attacks were up 70% over 2022.

In 2023, Trustwave researchers monitored 352 ransomware claims against educational institutions.

According to the Malwarebytes report, 43% of all ransomware in education attacks in 2023 targeted higher education and 36% of attacks targeted K-12.

The Highline Public School district has over 2,000 staff members and 17,500 students across 34 schools. All 34 schools were closed due to a ransomware attack.

In 2023, there was a staggering 105% increase in known ransomware attacks against K–12 and higher education, surging from 129 attacks in 2022 to 265 in 2023.

The education sector saw ransomware attacks decrease by approximately 12% year-on-year in 2025.