Why AI Is a Big Problem for School Cybersecurity
Why AI Is a Big Problem for School Cybersecurity
https://www.edweek.org/technology/why-ai-is-a-big-problem-for-school-cybersecurity/2026/02
Publish Date: 2026-02-17 00:05:00
Source Domain: www.edweek.org
Many school districts are ill-prepared to defend themselves against the growing threat of AI-powered cyberattacks, a problem that has been exacerbated by federal government cuts to programs that support school cybersecurity, experts say.
Here is the heart of the problem: Just as educators have turned to generative AI tools to craft emails, conduct research, and analyze large amounts of data, so too have cybercriminals, who are using the technology to optimize attacks, said Don Ringelestein, the executive director of technology for Yorkville 115, a school district near Chicago.
“AI is billed as something that’s going to save us time. It’s going to be an assistant for us,” he said. “Well, that same thing applies to hackers. It’s going make their jobs easier.”
Even before the use of AI expanded rapidly over the past few years, schools were already frequently the target of cyberattacks. Schools possess reams of sensitive data on children, which can fetch a high price on the dark web, and they often lack the resources to properly protect themselves. They also manage large amounts of money and personal data, such as employees’ social security numbers.
When they are hacked, schools can face enormous public pressure to give in to cybercriminals’ demands. All of that makes schools prime targets for data theft and ransomware attacks.
AI is now complicating an already difficult calculation for schools: How do school district technology leaders—and by extension, all district employees—protect themselves against cybercriminals who are leveraging AI to supercharge attacks?
How AI is making school cyberattacks worse
There are several ways that cybercriminals can deploy readily available generative AI tools.
To begin with, AI can write more sophisticated phishing emails. Spelling and grammatical…
