Analyzing Cyber-Attack Trends on an Educational Institution: A Case Study (2021–2023)

Purpose: Monitoring changing threats and adapting to the new realities of cyberspace is becoming a priority for security. In this respect, the analysis of threats, attack vectors and sources allow better protection of university resources. They allow the identification of particularly vulnerable areas, as well as the identification of the main targets of cyber criminals. The result of such an analysis is the definition of such places in the IT infrastructure that should be subject to special protection. The result of such an analysis also allows a better and more complete security system to be built. Design/Methodology/Approach: The research method used in the presented article is a case study. In this study, the subject is a unit of a university employing over 340 people. From January 2021 to December 2023, data on network attacks were collected by devices and security systems. The data was then analyzed. Real-time data was collected depicting the current cyber security landscape of a university unit. Findings: Universities, such as public research and education institutions, are particularly vulnerable to all kinds of network attacks. Analyzing the data collected on such threats allows a better understanding of them and appropriate preventive measures to be taken. Identifying elements such as threat categories, the sources of attacks and their target allows better protection of university resources. Practical Implications: The analysis of network attacks on a university unit in the context of information security allows for tangible benefits, especially in increasing the level of information security. It also allows us to define the types of threats such units must face. It also gives the possibility to fine-tune and better adapt existing security solutions or implement new ones. Originality/Value: The article contains a case study of a university unit in Poland in terms of threats related to network attacks. The article presents the actual data collected from the year 2021 to year 2023 on network threats that have been registered in the organization. These are actual data allowing observation of real threats to educational institutions in Poland.