Account takeover fraud is not new but it is growing fast. By 2018, account takeover fraud accounted for losses of around $4 billion. In 2021, this figure increased by more than 200%, and as of today, it is estimated to exceed $12 billion. A recent paper published by Microsoft has revealed a new and disturbing way of compromising accounts where hackers hijack accounts before users register them. For instance, they create an account in Zoom or Dropbox using the user's credentials.
For the education sector, data security ranges from the need to protect devices to safeguarding the sensitive information and privacy of its users, including students, their parents, and the institution's staff. Taking into account the current context in which educational centers operate, which involves combining remote learning and in-person teaching, as well as the use of personal devices, we analyze the most common cybersecurity threats affecting the sector.