India’s Education Sector Hit by 8,487 Weekly Cyberattacks: Check Point Software

Check Point Software Technologies has released its latest 'Threat Intelligence Report 'for India, painting a stark picture of the cyber risk landscape. The report reveals that India’s education and research sector faced an average of 8,487 cyberattacks per week over the last six months—nearly double the global average of 4,368 attacks per organization.

This volume places the sector just behind healthcare (5,401 weekly attacks) in terms of exposure. Government/Military (4,808) and Consulting (4,204) round out the list of top-targeted industries in India. Overall, Indian organizations across industries face 3,278 weekly attacks on average, compared to a global baseline of 1,934.

Under-Protected, Over-Targeted: Why Education Is a Soft Target

The report attributes this surge to the education sector’s rapid digital transformation, driven by hybrid learning models, connected campuses, and widespread use of personal devices—all of which have dramatically expanded the attack surface.

With limited cybersecurity budgets and a lack of dedicated InfoSec teams, many institutions remain vulnerable. The report finds that 74% of Indian organizations face critical vulnerabilities related to information disclosure, with significant exposure to remote code execution (62%), authentication bypass (50%), and denial-of-service threats (30%).

In contrast, sectors like healthcare and finance, driven by compliance mandates and stronger governance, have adopted more mature cyber resilience postures.

Remcos, FakeUpdates, Formbook: The Top Malware Strains

The Check Point report highlights three dominant malware threats reshaping India's cyber risk profile:

• Remcos, a Remote Access Trojan (RAT), impacted 11.7% of Indian organizations—three times the global average. It spreads via phishing emails using Office file attachments, enabling attackers to take remote control of infected machines while evading detection.

• FakeUpdates (SocGholish) affected 7.2% of organizations by using compromised websites to prompt fake browser updates—a tactic effective in India due to low awareness of such social engineering.

• Formbook, a credential-stealing malware, targeted 6.8% of Indian organizations. It captures keystrokes and screenshots, often via spoofed emails, offering attackers stealthy access to sensitive systems.

The widespread use of familiar attack vectors like phishing, fake downloads, and Office macros underscores an ongoing reliance on low-cost but high-impact methods.

Strategic Resilience Is Now Critical to Protect India’s Knowledge Economy

“India’s education and research sector is undergoing a profound digital shift—accelerated by the demands of hybrid learning, connected campuses, and data-intensive research,” said Sundar Balasubramanian, Managing Director for India and SAARC, Check Point Software Technologies.

“With this transformation comes an expanding threat surface that cyber adversaries are actively exploiting. While institutions have made commendable investments in securing their digital environments, the complexity and scale of modern cyber threats demand a new strategic posture. A prevention-first approach, reinforced by hybrid mesh security architecture underpinned by cloud-native security, endpoint protection, and actionable threat intelligence, is no longer optional—it is foundational.”

He added, “As custodians of the nation’s knowledge economy, educational and research institutions must lead with resilience at the core of their digital vision.”

A Global Pattern: Education Institutions Are a Rising Cyber Target

The report situates India’s risks within a broader global context. In early 2025, the Cloak ransomware group targeted Baltimore City Public Schools, impacting 25,000 staff and students. UK-based Pearson, a leading learning platform, disclosed a breach caused by an exposed GitLab token that gave attackers access to developer systems.

These global incidents, combined with India’s high volumes and vulnerability footprint, point to an urgent need for a sector-wide cyber maturity uplift—particularly as education becomes more digitally integrated.