Australian Private Schools Targeted by Cybercriminals for Extortion

Hackers exploit sensitive student data from private schools, demanding ransoms from parents and institutions.

The Australian Signals Directorate (ASD) reports an increase in cyber attacks targeting private schools, exploiting sensitive student data for extortion.
Cybercriminals are attracted to private schools due to the assumption of their financial capacity to pay ransoms.
In the past financial year, the ASD received 87,000 cybercrime reports, with the average cost to small businesses nearly $50,000.
State-sponsored cyber operations, particularly from countries like China and Russia, pose significant risks alongside independent cybercriminals.
The ASD advises against paying ransoms, as it does not guarantee data recovery and encourages further attacks.