UK universities ‘targeted by state-sponsored cybercriminals’

Vice-chancellor urges institutions to heed fresh cybersecurity guidance

Universities are targets for cybercriminals ranging from “have-a-go opportunists to state-sponsored, highly organised groups”, the vice-chancellor of Swansea University has warned.

Paul Boyle, who is also chair of UK education-technology agency Jisc, said in the foreword to new guidance on cybersecurity that while “good progress” had been made in developing processes that manage security-related risks, there was “more to be done”.