At least 320,000 school files stolen during a cyber attack on Bristol City Council ’s servers have been found posted to the dark web . Hackers targeted the council’s Trading with Schools platform and accessed data from 39 schools across the region in September. The council said specialist investigations have now identified a “significant number of files” believed to have been taken from the network and made available online.
At least 39 schools were impacted by the hack Investigators are continuing to probe the published material “ as quickly as possible” to understand what information has been published, and which schools or individuals may be affected, the council added. Schools have urged parents and students to be “cautious” of unexpected emails, text messages and phone calls, and avoid clicking on links or opening attachments in unexpected messages. Vik Verma, director of education and skills at Bristol City Council, said it recognises that news of a data theft linked to this cyber-attack “will be concerning for parents, carers, school staff and the wider school community”.
"We understand that people will want answers about what information may have been affected and whether it relates to them or their family,” he continued, adding that determining that remains a “key focus of our investigation”. "While this work continues, we are making sure schools, families and staff have clear advice on the practical steps they can take to protect themselves online,” he said. “We would encourage everyone to remain vigilant, be cautious of unexpected messages, emails or phone calls, and follow the guidance being shared through schools.
"We continue to work closely with schools, cyber security specialists and law enforcement partners to understand the full impact of this incident. We will keep schools, parents and carers updated as more information becomes available." Trading with Schools was targeted on 21 September and was shut down on 25 September following the attack. The platform provides systems for day-to-day tasks such as lesson scheduling and payrolls, and can house sensitive information including educational psychology files.
The council has not confirmed the nature of the information discovered available online.
Source: The Independent
