As reported by CBS News, Lincoln College in downstate Lincoln announced its closure. While the closure of any longstanding institution is a heartbreaking occurrence in itself, what makes this situation all the more tragic is that a ransomware attack appears to be major factor.

According to Lincoln College, The cyberattack “thwarted admissions activities and hindered access to all institutional data, creating an unclear picture of Fall 2022 enrollment projections,” .
I am sure there are several reasons why this college closed their gates for good, but reading that the ransomware attack was one of the contributor should send a wake up call to all the education institutions (both K-12 and higher ed) that these cyber threats and real and should be taken seriously.

All educational institutions should have a layered defense to protect their “crown jewels” against these cyberattacks. These layered defenses should include a combination of protect and detect controls and make it harder for perpetrators to penetrate the educational institution.