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Overview:

The rapid digitization of educational institutions in India has created both opportunities and challenges. While technology has improved access to education and administrative efficiency, it has also exposed institutions to significant cyber threats. This report, published by CyberPeace, examines the types, causes, impacts, and preventive measures related to cyber risks in Indian educational institutions. It highlights global best practices, national strategies, and actionable recommendations to mitigate these threats.

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Significance of the Study:

The pandemic-induced shift to online learning, combined with limited cybersecurity budgets, has made educational institutions prime targets for cyberattacks. These threats compromise sensitive student, faculty, and institutional data, leading to operational disruptions, financial losses, and reputational damage. Globally, educational institutions face similar challenges, emphasizing the need for universal and localized responses.

Threat Faced by Education Institutions:

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Based on the insights from the CyberPeace’s report titled 'Exploring Cyber Threats and Digital Risks in Indian Educational Institutions', this concise blog provides a comprehensive overview of cybersecurity threats and risks faced by educational institutions, along with essential details to address these challenges.

🎣 Phishing: Phishing is a social engineering tactic where cyber criminals impersonate trusted sources to steal sensitive information, such as login credentials and financial details. It often involves deceptive emails or messages that lead to counterfeit websites, pressuring victims to provide information quickly. Variants include spear phishing, smishing, and vishing.

💰 Ransomware: Ransomware is malware that locks users out of their systems or data until a ransom is paid. It spreads through phishing emails, malvertising, and exploiting vulnerabilities, causing downtime, data leaks, and theft. Ransom demands can range from hundreds to hundreds of thousands of dollars.

🌐 Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS): DDoS attacks overwhelm servers, denying users access to websites and disrupting daily operations, which can hinder students and teachers from accessing learning resources or submitting assignments. These attacks are relatively easy to execute, especially against poorly protected networks, and can be carried out by amateur cybercriminals, including students or staff, seeking to cause disruptions for various reasons

🕵️ Cyber Espionage: Higher education institutions, particularly research-focused universities, are vulnerable to spyware, insider threats, and cyber espionage. Spyware is unauthorized software that collects sensitive information or damages devices. Insider threats arise from negligent or malicious individuals, such as staff or vendors, who misuse their access to steal intellectual property or cause data leaks..

🔒 Data Theft: Data theft is a major threat to educational institutions, which store valuable personal and research information. Cybercriminals may sell this data or use it for extortion, while stealing university research can provide unfair competitive advantages. These attacks can go undetected for long periods, as seen in the University of California, Berkeley breach, where hackers allegedly stole 160,000 medical records over several months.

🛠️ SQL Injection: SQL injection (SQLI) is an attack that uses malicious code to manipulate backend databases, granting unauthorized access to sensitive information like customer details. Successful SQLI attacks can result in data deletion, unauthorized viewing of user lists, or administrative access to the database.

🔍Eavesdropping attack: An eavesdropping breach, or sniffing, is a network attack where cybercriminals steal information from unsecured transmissions between devices. These attacks are hard to detect since they don't cause abnormal data activity. Attackers often use network monitors, like sniffers, to intercept data during transmission.

🤖 AI-Powered Attacks: AI enhances cyber attacks like identity theft, password cracking, and denial-of-service attacks, making them more powerful, efficient, and automated. It can be used to inflict harm, steal information, cause emotional distress, disrupt organizations, and even threaten national security by shutting down services or cutting power to entire regions

Insights from Project eKawach

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The CyberPeace Research Wing, in collaboration with SAKEC CyberPeace Center of Excellence (CCoE) and Autobot Infosec Private Limited, conducted a study simulating educational institutions' networks to gather intelligence on cyber threats. As part of the e-Kawach project, a nationwide initiative to strengthen cybersecurity, threat intelligence sensors were deployed to monitor internet traffic and analyze real-time cyber attacks from July 2023 to April 2024, revealing critical insights into the evolving cyber threat landscape.

Cyber Attack  Trends

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Between July 2023 and April 2024, the e-Kawach network recorded 217,886 cyberattacks from IP addresses worldwide, with a significant portion originating from countries including the United States, China, Germany, South Korea, Brazil, Netherlands, Russia, France, Vietnam, India, Singapore, and Hong Kong. However, attributing these attacks to specific nations or actors is complex, as threat actors often use techniques like exploiting resources from other countries, or employing VPNs and proxies to obscure their true locations, making it difficult to pinpoint the real origin of the attacks.

Brute Force Attack:

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The analysis uncovered an extensive use of automated tools in brute force attacks, with 8,337 unique usernames and 54,784 unique passwords identified. Among these, the most frequently targeted username was “root,” which accounted for over 200,000 attempts. Other commonly targeted usernames included: "admin", "test", "user", "oracle", "ubuntu", "guest", "ftpuser", "pi", "support"

Similarly, the study identified several weak passwords commonly targeted by attackers. “123456” was attempted over 3,500 times, followed by “password” with over 2,500 attempts. Other frequently targeted passwords included: "1234", "12345", "12345678", "admin", "123", "root", "test", "raspberry", "admin123", "123456789"

Insights from Threat Landscape Analysis

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Research done by the USI - CyberPeace Centre of Excellence (CCoE) and Resecurity has uncovered several breached databases belonging to public, private, and government universities in India, highlighting significant cybersecurity threats in the education sector. The research aims to identify and mitigate cybersecurity risks without harming individuals or assigning blame, based on data available at the time, which may evolve with new information. Institutions were assigned risk ratings that descend from A to F, with most falling under a D rating, indicating numerous security vulnerabilities. Institutions rated D or F are 5.4 times more likely to experience data breaches compared to those rated A or B. Immediate action is recommended to address the identified risks.

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Risk Findings :

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The risk findings for the institutions are summarized through a pie chart, highlighting factors such as data breaches, dark web activity, botnet activity, and phishing/domain squatting. Data breaches and botnet activity are significantly higher compared to dark web leakages and phishing/domain squatting. The findings show 393,518 instances of data breaches, 339,442 instances of botnet activity, 7,926 instances related to the dark web and phishing & domain activity - 6711.

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Key Indicators:  Multiple instances of data breaches containing credentials (email/passwords) in plain text.

• Botnet activity indicating network hosts compromised by malware.

• Credentials from third-party government and non-governmental websites linked to official institutional emails

• Details of software applications, drivers installed on compromised hosts.

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• Sensitive cookie data exfiltrated from various browsers.

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• IP addresses of compromised systems.
• Login credentials for different Android applications.

Below is the sample detail of one of the top educational institutions that provides the insights about the higher rate of data breaches, botnet activity, dark web activities and phishing & domain squatting. 

Risk Detection: 

It indicates the number of data breaches, network hygiene, dark web activities, botnet activities, cloud security, phishing & domain squatting, media monitoring and miscellaneous risks. In the below example, we are able to see the highest number of data breaches and botnet activities in the sample particular domain.

Risk Changes:

Risk by Categories:

Risk is categorized with factors such as high, medium and low, the risk is at high level for data breaches and botnet activities.

Challenges Faced by Educational Institutions

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Educational institutions face cyberattack risks, the challenges leading to cyberattack incidents in educational institutions are as follows:

🔒 Lack of a Security Framework: A key challenge in cybersecurity for educational institutions is the lack of a dedicated framework for higher education. Existing frameworks like ISO 27001, NIST, COBIT, and ITIL are designed for commercial organizations and are often difficult and costly to implement. Consequently, many educational institutions in India do not have a clearly defined cybersecurity framework.

🔑 Diverse User Accounts: Educational institutions manage numerous accounts for staff, students, alumni, and third-party contractors, with high user turnover. The continuous influx of new users makes maintaining account security a challenge, requiring effective systems and comprehensive security training for all users.

📚 Limited Awareness: Cybersecurity awareness among students, parents, teachers, and staff in educational institutions is limited due to the recent and rapid integration of technology. The surge in tech use, accelerated by the pandemic, has outpaced stakeholders' ability to address cybersecurity issues, leaving them unprepared to manage or train others on these challenges.

📱 Increased Use of Personal/Shared Devices: The growing reliance on unvetted personal/Shared devices for academic and administrative activities amplifies security risks.

💬 Lack of Incident Reporting: Educational institutions often neglect reporting cyber incidents, increasing vulnerability to future attacks. It is essential to report all cases, from minor to severe, to strengthen cybersecurity and institutional resilience.

Impact of Cybersecurity Attacks on Educational Institutions

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Cybersecurity attacks on educational institutions lead to learning disruptions, financial losses, and data breaches. They also harm the institution's reputation and pose security risks to students. The following are the impacts of cybersecurity attacks on educational institutions:

📚Impact on the Learning Process: A report by the US Government Accountability Office (GAO) found that cyberattacks on school districts resulted in learning losses ranging from three days to three weeks, with recovery times taking between two to nine months.

💸Financial Loss: US schools reported financial losses ranging from $50,000 to $1 million due to expenses like hardware replacement and cybersecurity upgrades, with recovery taking an average of 2 to 9 months.

🔒Data Security Breaches: Cyberattacks exposed sensitive data, including grades, social security numbers, and bullying reports. Accidental breaches were often caused by staff, accounting for 21 out of 25 cases, while intentional breaches by students, comprising 27 out of 52 cases, frequently involved tampering with grades.

⚠️Data Security Breach: Cyberattacks on schools result in breaches of personal information, including grades and social security numbers, causing emotional, physical, and financial harm. These breaches can be intentional or accidental, with a US study showing staff responsible for most accidental breaches (21 out of 25) and students primarily behind intentional breaches (27 out of 52) to change grades.

🏫Impact on Institutional Reputation: Cyberattacks damaged the reputation of educational institutions, eroding trust among students, staff, and families. Negative media coverage and scrutiny impacted staff retention, student admissions, and overall credibility.

🛡️ Impact on Student Safety: ‍‍Cyberattacks compromised student safety and privacy. For example, breaches like live-streaming school CCTV footage caused severe distress, negatively impacting students' sense of security and mental well-being.

CyberPeace Advisory:

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CyberPeace emphasizes the importance of vigilance and proactive measures to address cybersecurity risks:

1. Develop effective incident response plans: Establish a clear and structured plan to quickly identify, respond to, and recover from cyber threats. Ensure that staff are well-trained and know their roles during an attack to minimize disruption and prevent further damage.
   
   
2. Implement access controls with role-based permissions: Restrict access to sensitive information based on individual roles within the institution. This ensures that only authorized personnel can access certain data, reducing the risk of unauthorized access or data breaches.
   
   
3. Regularly update software and conduct cybersecurity training: Keep all software and systems up-to-date with the latest security patches to close vulnerabilities. Provide ongoing cybersecurity awareness training for students and staff to equip them with the knowledge to prevent attacks, such as phishing.
   
   
4. Ensure regular and secure backups of critical data: Perform regular backups of essential data and store them securely in case of cyber incidents like ransomware. This ensures that, if data is compromised, it can be restored quickly, minimizing downtime.
   
   
5. Adopt multi-factor authentication (MFA): Enforce Multi-Factor Authentication(MFA) for accessing sensitive systems or information to strengthen security. MFA adds an extra layer of protection by requiring users to verify their identity through more than one method, such as a password and a one-time code.
   
   
6. Deploy anti-malware tools: Use advanced anti-malware software to detect, block, and remove malicious programs. This helps protect institutional systems from viruses, ransomware, and other forms of malware that can compromise data security.
   
   
7. Monitor networks using intrusion detection systems (IDS): Implement IDS to monitor network traffic and detect suspicious activity. By identifying threats in real time, institutions can respond quickly to prevent breaches and minimize potential damage.
   
   
8. Conduct penetration testing: Regularly conduct penetration testing to simulate cyberattacks and assess the security of institutional networks. This proactive approach helps identify vulnerabilities before they can be exploited by actual attackers.
   
   
9. Collaborate with cybersecurity firms: Partner with cybersecurity experts to benefit from specialized knowledge and advanced security solutions. Collaboration provides access to the latest technologies, threat intelligence, and best practices to enhance the institution's overall cybersecurity posture.
   
   
10. Share best practices across institutions: Create forums for collaboration among educational institutions to exchange knowledge and strategies for cybersecurity. Sharing successful practices helps build a collective defense against common threats and improves security across the education sector.

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Conclusion: 

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The increasing cyber threats to Indian educational institutions demand immediate attention and action. With vulnerabilities like data breaches, botnet activities, and outdated infrastructure, institutions must prioritize effective cybersecurity measures. By adopting proactive strategies such as regular software updates, multi-factor authentication, and incident response plans, educational institutions can mitigate risks and safeguard sensitive data. Collaborative efforts, awareness, and investment in cybersecurity will be essential to creating a secure digital environment for academia.

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Introduction

Empowering today’s youth with the right skills is more crucial than ever in a rapidly evolving digital world. Every year on July 15th, the United Nations marks World Youth Skills Day to emphasise the critical role of skills development in preparing young people for meaningful work and resilient futures. As AI transforms industries and societies, equipping young minds with digital and AI skills is key to fostering security, adaptability, and growth in the years ahead.

Why AI Upskilling is Crucial in Modern Cyber Defence

Security in the digital age remains a complex challenge, regardless of the presence of Artificial Intelligence (AI). It is one of the biggest modern ironies, and not only that, it is a paradox wrapped in code, where the cure and the curse are written in the same language. The very hand that protects the world from cyber threats can very well be used for the creation of that threat. This being said, the modern-day implementation of AI has to circumvent the threats posed by it or any other advanced technology. A solid grasp of AI and machine learning mechanisms is no longer optional; it is fundamental for modern cybersecurity. The traditional cybersecurity training programs employ static content, which can often become outdated and inadequate for the vulnerabilities. AI-powered solutions, such as intrusion detection systems and next-generation firewalls, use behavioural analysis instead of just matching signatures. AI models are susceptible, nevertheless, as malevolent actors can introduce hostile inputs or tainted data to trick computers into incorrect classification. Data poisoning is a major threat to AI defences, according to Cisco's evidence.

As threats surpass the current understanding of cybersecurity professionals, a need arises to upskill them in advanced AI technologies so that they can fortify the security of current systems. Two of the most important skills for professionals would be AI/ML Model Auditing and Data Science. Skilled data scientists can sift through vast logs, from pocket captures to user profiles, to detect anomalies, assess vulnerabilities, and anticipate attacks. A news report from Business Insider puts it correctly: ‘It takes a good-guy AI to fight a bad-guy AI.’ The technology of generative AI is quite new. As a result, it poses fresh security issues and faces security risks like data exfiltration and prompt injections. 

Another method that can prove effective is Natural Language Processing (NLP), which helps machines process this unstructured data, enabling automated spam detection, sentiment analysis, and threat context extraction. Security teams skilled in NLP can deploy systems that flag suspicious email patterns, detect malicious content in code reviews, and monitor internal networks for insider threats, all at speeds and scales humans cannot match. 

The AI skills, as aforementioned, are not only for courtesy’s sake; they have become essential in the current landscape. India is not far behind in this mission; it is committed, along with its western counterparts, to employ the emerging technologies in its larger goal of advancement. With quiet confidence, India takes pride in its remarkable capacity to nurture exceptional talent in science and technology, with Indian minds making significant contributions across global arenas.

AI Upskilling in India

As per a news report of March 2025, Jayant Chaudhary, Minister of State, Ministry of Skill Development & Entrepreneurship, highlighted that various schemes under the Skill India Programme (SIP) guarantee greater integration of emerging technologies, such as artificial intelligence (AI), cybersecurity, blockchain, and cloud computing, to meet industry demands. The SIP’s parliamentary brochure states that more than 6.15 million recipients have received training as of December 2024. Other schemes that facilitate educating and training professionals, such as Data Scientist, Business Intelligence Analyst, and Machine Learning Engineer are,

• Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana 4.0 (PMKVY 4.0)
• Pradhan Mantri National Apprenticeship Promotion Scheme (PM-NAPS)
• Jan Shikshan Sansthan (JSS)

Another report showcases how Indian companies, or companies with their offices in India such as Ernst & Young (EY), are recognising the potential of the Indian workforce and yet their deficiencies in emerging technologies and leading the way by internal upskilling and establishing an AI Academy, a new program designed to assist businesses in providing their employees with essential AI capabilities, in response to the increasing need for AI expertise. Using more than 200 real-world AI use cases, the program offers interactive, organised learning opportunities that cover everything from basic ideas to sophisticated generative AI capabilities. 

In order to better understand the need for these initiatives, a reference is significant to a report backed by Google.org and the Asian Development Bank; India appears to be at a turning point in the global use of AI. As per the research, “AI for All: Building an AI-Ready Workforce in Asia-Pacific,” India urgently needs to provide accessible and efficient AI upskilling despite having the largest workforce in the world. According to the paper, by 2030, AI could boost the Asia-Pacific region’s GDP by up to USD 3 trillion. The key to this potential is India, a country with the youngest and fastest-growing population.

Conclusion and CyberPeace Resolution

As the world stands at the crossroads of innovation and insecurity, India finds itself uniquely poised, with its vast young population and growing technologies. But to truly safeguard its digital future and harness the promise of AI, the country must think beyond flagship schemes. Imagine classrooms where students learn not just to code but to question algorithms, workplaces where AI training is as routine as onboarding. 

India’s journey towards digital resilience is not just about mastering technology but about cultivating curiosity, responsibility, and trust. CyberPeace is committed to this future and is resolute in this collective pursuit of an ethically secure digital world. CyberPeace resolves to be an active catalyst in AI upskilling across India. We commit to launching specialised training modules on AI, cybersecurity, and digital ethics tailored for students and professionals. It seeks to close the AI literacy gap and develop a workforce that is both morally aware and technologically proficient by working with educational institutions, skilling initiatives, and industry stakeholders. 

References

1. https://www.helpnetsecurity.com/2025/03/07/ai-gamified-simulations-cybersecurity/ 
2. https://www.businessinsider.com/artificial-intelligence-cybersecurity-large-language-model-threats-solutions-2025-5?utm
3. https://apacnewsnetwork.com/2025/03/ai-5g-skills-boost-skill-india-targets-industry-demands-over-6-15-million-beneficiaries-trained-till-2024/ ‍
4. https://indianexpress.com/article/technology/artificial-intelligence/india-must-upskill-fast-to-keep-up-with-ai-jobs-says-new-report-10107821/

THREE CENTRES OF EXCELLENCE IN ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE:

India’s Finance Minister, Mrs. Nirmala Sitharaman, with a vision of ‘Make AI for India’ and ‘Make AI work for India, ’ announced during the presentation of Union Budget 2023 that the Indian Government is planning to set up three ‘Centre of Excellence’ for Artificial Intelligence in top Educational Institutions to revolutionise fields such as health, agriculture, etc.

Under the ‘Amirt Kaal,’ i.e., the budget of 2023 is a stepping stone by the government to have a technology-driven knowledge-based economy and the seven priorities that have been set up by the government called ‘Saptarishi’ such as inclusive development, reaching the last mile, infrastructure investment, unleashing potential, green growth, youth power, and financial sector will guide the nation in this endeavor along with leading industry players that will partner in conducting interdisciplinary research, developing cutting edge applications and scalable problem solutions in such areas.

The government has already formed the roadmap for AI in the nation through MeitY, NASSCOM, and DRDO, indicating that the government has already started this AI revolution. For AI-related research and development, the Centre for Artificial Intelligence and Robotics (CAIR) has already been formed, and biometric identification, facial recognition, criminal investigation, crowd and traffic management, agriculture, healthcare, education, and other applications of AI are currently being used.

Even a task force on artificial intelligence (AI) was established on August 24, 2017. The government had promised to set up Centers of Excellence (CoEs) for research, education, and skill development in robotics, artificial intelligence (AI), digital manufacturing, big data analytics, quantum communication, and the Internet of Things (IoT) and by announcing the same in the current Union budget has planned to fulfill the same.

The government has also announced the development of 100 labs in engineering institutions for developing applications using 5G services that will collaborate with various authorities, regulators, banks, and other businesses.

Developing such labs aims to create new business models and employment opportunities. Among others, it will also create smart classrooms, precision farming, intelligent transport systems, and healthcare applications, as well as new pedagogy, curriculum, continual professional development dipstick survey, and ICT implementation will be introduced for training the teachers.

POSSIBLE ROLES OF AI:

The use of AI in top educational institutions will help students to learn at their own pace, using AI algorithms providing customised feedback and recommendations based on their performance, as it can also help students identify their strengths and weaknesses, allowing them to focus their study efforts more effectively and efficiently and will help train students in AI and make the country future-ready.

The main area of AI in healthcare, agriculture, and sustainable cities would be researching and developing practical AI applications in these sectors. In healthcare, AI can be effective by helping medical professionals diagnose diseases faster and more accurately by analysing medical images and patient data. It can also be used to identify the most effective treatments for specific patients based on their genetic and medical history.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) has the potential to revolutionise the agriculture industry by improving yields, reducing costs, and increasing efficiency. AI algorithms can collect and analyse data on soil moisture, crop health, and weather patterns to optimise crop management practices, improve yields and the health and well-being of livestock, predict potential health issues, and increase productivity. These algorithms can identify and target weeds and pests, reducing the need for harmful chemicals and increasing sustainability.

ROLE OF AI IN CYBERSPACE:

Artificial Intelligence (AI) plays a crucial role in cyberspace. AI technology can enhance security in cyberspace, prevent cyber-attacks, detect and respond to security threats, and improve overall cybersecurity. Some of the specific applications of AI in cyberspace include:

• Intrusion Detection: AI-powered systems can analyse large amounts of data and detect signs of potential cyber-attacks.
• Threat Analysis: AI algorithms can help identify patterns of behaviour that may indicate a potential threat and then take appropriate action.
• Fraud Detection: AI can identify and prevent fraudulent activities, such as identity theft and phishing, by analysing large amounts of data and detecting unusual behaviour patterns.
• Network Security: AI can monitor and secure networks against potential cyber-attacks by detecting and blocking malicious traffic.
• Data Security: AI can be used to protect sensitive data and ensure that it is only accessible to authorised personnel.

CONCLUSION:

Introducing AI in top educational institutions and partnering it with leading industries will prove to be a stepping stone to revolutionise the development of the country, as Artificial Intelligence (AI) has the potential to play a significant role in the development of a country by improving various sectors and addressing societal challenges. Overall, we hope to see an increase in efficiency and productivity across various industries, leading to increased economic growth and job creation, improved delivery of healthcare services by increasing access to care and, improving patient outcomes, making education more accessible and effective as AI has the potential to improve various sectors of a country and contribute to its overall development and progress. However, it’s important to ensure that AI is developed and used ethically, considering its potential consequences and impact on society.

References:

• Centre to establish three centres of excellence to boost AI (newsbytesapp.com)
• Union Budget 2023: Centre bets big on Artificial Intelligence, IoT | Business Standard News (business-standard.com)
• Union Budget 2023: Centres of Excellence for AI to be Set Up in Top Educational Institutions (msn.com)