New research shows hackers are attacking education more than any other sector.

There's reportedly been a 44% increase worldwide in attacks on education and research organizations.

Tony Sabaj, a cybersecurity expert, says although most schools have returned to in-person learning, a lot of digital elements are still used.

He notes systems that show grades or allow students to turn in homework online could be at risk.

"They could have viruses or malware on their machines," he said.

He said it's never too early to teach kids about cybersecurity.

"You know, if something looks too good to be true, you know, nobody's handing out free $200 Walmart or Amazon gift cards to, you know, a 10-year-old for nothing.," he said. "Those are usually phishing emails."

Sabaj said people can protect their devices and information by only logging on directly to school sites and avoiding emailed links.