Indian schools hit by 8000-plus cyberattacks per week: Report
Indian educational and research institutions faced an average of 8,487 cyberattacks per week over the last six months—nearly twice the global average of 4,368, according to a Threat Intelligence Report released by Check Point Software Technologies Ltd. The report places the education sector as the most targeted industry in India, followed by healthcare (5,401 attacks), government/military (4,808), and consulting (4,204).
Cyberattacks in India far above global norms
Across all sectors, Indian organizations experienced 3,278 cyberattacks per week on average, significantly higher than the global weekly average of 1,934. The report attributes the spike in attacks on education to widespread digital adoption, increased use of personal devices, and limited cybersecurity resources at academic institutions.Lack of cyber defenses increases riskMany institutions reportedly lack dedicated cybersecurity teams and sufficient budgets, making them easier targets for attackers. Additionally, 74% of Indian organizations reported vulnerabilities related to information disclosure, followed by remote code execution (62%), authentication bypass (50%), and denial of service (30%).Malware typesThe report identified three major malware strains affecting Indian networks:
Remcos , a remote access trojan, impacted 11.7% of organizations—three times the global average. It typically spreads through phishing emails with maliciousMicrosoft Office attachments.FakeUpdates (SocGholish ) affected 7.2% of organizations by tricking users into installing fake browser updates via compromised websites.- Formbook, seen in 6.8% of attacks, is used to steal credentials, keystrokes, and screenshots, often through phishing or spoofed services.
These malware types exploit familiar, low-cost methods such as phishing, fake software updates, and Office document vulnerabilities, highlighting gaps in cybersecurity awareness and hygiene.
