When it comes to cybersecurity and hacker attacks, everyone focuses on businesses and random users without specifically considering cases where students may suffer from cybercrime. Modern students rely on their devices, online databases, libraries, cloud storage, student profiles on university platforms, and more.

They handle their finances online, keep their academic work online, and more. This is why they would be in serious trouble if something were to happen to their platform. To help clarify this further, here are the top six ways students can suffer from these cyberattacks.

1. Online classes disrupted by cyberattacks

An instance of Zoom bombing during a critical lecture can cause you to miss out on a valid piece of information, which might result in you failing an important assignment.

If this happens a few times in a row, it will equal the inability to attend or participate in class, which will seriously impact your abilities as a student.

This will also result in you missing essential course material, partially because the verbal transfer of knowledge is so essential and in part due to the fact that you won’t hear it mentioned when everyone else will. In other words, it’s like getting a partial course after you’ve paid for a full tutorship.

You must ensure you’re using up to date software and secure platforms, but remember that this doesn’t have to happen on your end. The class itself could be disrupted, which is why, apart from students using software for personal protection of their accounts, the university needs server antivirus protection. Their servers are under a significant threat and they cannot afford to ignore it.

Of course, some of the onus is on the student to protect their device and their work. According to Ilijia Miljkovac, the top-rated antivirus for Chromebook solutions are important for securing your device and protecting yourself from viruses and malware. ChromeOS is a relatively secure operating system, but security experts know that Chromebooks can be hit by malware. These affordable laptops are popular amongst students thanks to their app-based interface, price point, and all-day battery life.

2. Assignments encrypted by ransomware

Ransomware is a cybersecurity threat that locks a part of your files or data and keeps them locked until you pay a ransom (hence the name). It’s easy to see how this could turn into a dog-ate-my-homework type of scenario; however, ransomware is no joke. If important project files can be locked by ransomware, so can your homework.

This could happen to your assignments just as you’re about to finish, which means that you would either have to start over, provided that you can still make it, or that your professor gives you an extension. Still, they don’t have to do that.

You could fail to make a deadline, which might result in you failing an exam. It’s even worse; it’s not just failing an exam; it’s failing an exam after you’ve done all the work, excellent work at that.

To solve this, you need to make backups. Always keep several versions of files on separate devices. Cloud-based storage is generally more secure, but USB drives are cheaper and smaller than ever.

3. Personal data stolen through phishing

Another potential problem is falling for a fake university email. The biggest problem with phishing is that it always comes from what appears to be a credible source. So, you’ll receive an email from something that looks very close, like an email that will be sent by someone in the university administration.

This could easily result in identity theft or financial fraud. You could reveal personal information that can be used in identity theft, and we’re not just talking about an account takeover. What about synthetic theft, which is a scenario where a hacker uses some real data to create a fake identity?

A compromised student portal access is a far more appealing reward for hackers than you think. Seeing as how it’s a platform through which you do everything from checking your scores and tuition to tracking personal info, its loss would be huge.

To prevent this, verify the sender and avoid clicking on suspicious links. In fact, the safest thing to do is to manually go where they tell you and avoid clicking on the link altogether. Sure, they can say that it’s a link to your profile, but why not just start with Google and go to your profile from there? Then, log in.

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4. Academic work plagiarized due to hacked accounts

Next, you have unauthorized access to your drafts to worry about. Drafts are drafts, and no author (artist or businessperson) would be happy to have their draft leaked. First, because it shows their work in its crude, unpolished form. Second, it often contains notes that are witty or even outright problematic. You don’t want your professor to see what you’re scribbling on a note you’re passing to your friend at the other end of the lecture hall.

On top of this, someone could steal your draft and, instead of leaking it, rework it and submit it as their own work. Submission of your work by someone else hurts, especially bad, and the more work you put into it, the more it will sting.

Facing academic dishonesty charges is another potential threat, and it’s not a small matter or something you could easily dismiss.

Secure your accounts with strong passwords and 2FA in order to avoid this. It’s a simple method of protection, but it will keep you safer than you think.

5. Loss of critical research data

Hacked cloud storage containing your research is a massive loss of resources. Think about all the sources, statistics, and quotes. Digging them all out will take an incredible amount of work, and it will feel even more pointless because you’ll be aware that you can easily lose that, too. If it’s primary sources (data you’ve collected yourself), they could be irreplaceable.

We’re talking about years of work that were potentially lost forever. If the data is changeable or current and you need it for future comparisons, the damage will be even greater.

Even if it’s possible to collect it again, this will result in a delay in graduation or publication of your works.

The way to protect it is simple; you must regularly backup data in multiple secure locations. This is similar to what we’ve talked about when discussing ransomware.

6. Social media profiles compromised

Remember that being a student is a social matter, not just an educational one. Someone hijacking your social media profile and posting embarrassing posts on your behalf could ruin your reputation and make you a pariah in your classes and study groups.

This could be damaging to your personal and even professional reputation. A really bad tweet when you’re a student can get you fired in the future. It can make you unhirable to the level where no amount of networking will help you. This is even worse when it’s not you who really posted it, but you have no way of proving it.

Then, there’s the potential for cyberbullying and harassment by someone pretending to be you.

All you can do in this scenario is use privacy settings and do your best to avoid sharing personal information.

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Your student days are the right time for you to learn a thing or two about cybersecurity

Ultimately, cybersecurity is something that everyone needs in this current age. Students, however, have more on the line than many people give them credit for, which is why they may be more affected by the dangers in question. Fortunately, by just being aware of these dangers and knowing the ways to protect yourself from them, you’ll already make a massive difference.

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