AI Is Supercharging Cyberattacks. What Schools Need to Know and Do
February 17, 2026
Artificial intelligence has the potential to significantly improve schools’ ability to defend against cyberattacks by upgrading threat detection, building faster incident response, and automating tasks. However, hackers can also use AI to deliver more sophisticated attacks against schools, such as AI-powered malware, super-powered phishing campaigns, and automated exploitation of schools’ vulnerabilities. At the same time, some school district technology officials are concerned that use of AI tools to defend against cyberattacks could also open the doors for more AI-driven cyberattacks. That puts schools in a very difficult spot in figuring out how to deploy AI cyber defense tools in the safest and most effective ways possible.
Privacy & Security Why AI Is a Big Problem for School CybersecurityMany school districts are ill-prepared to defend themselves against AI-powered cyberattacks.
Privacy & Security From Our Research Center Is AI Ready to Protect Schools From Cyberattacks?Some experts and district tech leaders are unsure what role the tech should play in cybersecurity.
Privacy & Security These Students Tricked Teachers With Phishing Emails—for a Good CauseThe exercise helped students understand how to protect themselves against hackers.
Privacy & Security Q&A ‘Things That Scare Me and Keep Me Up at Night.' A Tech Leader on AI ThreatsAI is now being used to supercharge cyberattacks against schools.
IT Infrastructure & Management Q&A Hackers Are 'Getting Really Smart.’ How Schools Can Boost Their DefensesWhat’s especially worrisome is the ability of cyber criminals to use AI to mimic real people.Privacy & Security Video How to Respond to a CyberattackHere are practical tips for districts after they experience a hack.
Privacy & Security Video How Schools Can Prevent a CyberattackWhen a cyberattack happens, schools can lose instructional time, as well as thousands of dollars responding to it.
This report has been made possible by grants from the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative and the Wallace Foundation. The Chan Zuckerberg Initiative supports Education Week’s coverage of artificial intelligence and the Wallace Foundation supports coverage on education leadership. Education Week retains sole editorial control over the content of this coverage.