Report by UpGuard
2026 Higher Education Third-Party Cyber Risk Report
7 FINDINGSPublished Jul 1, 2026
View Original Report →Key Findings
97.4% of institutions have at least one Microsoft product.
Vendor ConcentrationMicrosoftHigher Education
28% of the top 100 vendors most commonly used by universities have experienced a data breach since 2024.
Data BreachThird-Party RiskHigher EducationThird-Party Supply Risk
11% of the top 100 vendors most commonly used by universities currently show evidence of active infostealer malware infections.
MalwareCredential TheftHigher EducationInfostealerThird-Party Supply Risk
95% of universities have at least one vendor with embedded AI exposure.
AI ExposureHigher EducationThird-Party RiskAI Exposure
Around 50% of universities have detectable third-party AI embedded in their services.
AI IntegrationHigher EducationThird-Party Risk
80% of higher education institutions share the same 11 vendors.
Vendor ConcentrationHigher EducationSupply Chain RiskThird-Party Risk
67% of suppliers are used by five or fewer higher education institutions.
Vendor DiversityHigher EducationThird-Party RiskThird-Party Supply Risk