News

A Wiltshire secondary school has been severely affected by a targeted attack by hackers who demanded a ransom to restore access to its IT network.  The attack affected the school's local server, its website, internet access, Wi-Fi, printers and internal phone systems.

A full report can be read here: https://www.gazetteandherald.co.uk/news/23476464.hacker-demands-ransom-taking-control-wiltshire-schools/

The school's website was still down several days later.  An update a few days later was published here: https://www.gazetteandherald.co.uk/news/23484633.hardenhuish-school-cyber-attack-update-hackers-demand-ransom/

In the BBC report cyber expert, Prof Alan Woodward, from the University of Surrey, said schools are a "soft target". 

The ICO recently published an updated article aimed at small business with tips for IT security - this advice would also be applicable for schools and colleges.  

This table shows the advice from the ICO and how areas of the Data Protection Education Knowledge Bank can help and guide you in those areas. 

The full ICO article is here:  11 Practical Ways to Keep Your Systems Safe And Secure

Further ICO Password guidance: Passwords in online services

This article explains what a DDoS attack is and how to manage if your organisation is attacked.

A DoS attack is a denial of service attack.  It occurs when users are denied access to computer services or resources, usually by overloading the service with requests.  Your server or your website will be repeatedly bombarded with requests for information or resources.  This overwhelms the system making it unusable and unavailable.

An attack becomes a 'distributed denial of service' (DDoS) when it comes from multiple devices.  This is the most common form of DoS attack on websites.

Further information from the NCSC about DDoS attacks can be found here: DoS Guidance NCSC

How does this affect schools/organisations?

Your organisation may be attacked even if you do not have a high profile website.  Your organisation's website might be attacked or your server or systems.

Hampshire Alert recently posted an increase in the volume of attacks: Increase in DDoS attacks

DDoS-for-hire services are now openly available online, which makes it a relatively cheap and easy type of cyber attack.

View our Cyber/Information Security Best Practice Area for more guidance and checklists about Information and Cyber security.

How do we know if we are being attacked?

• If your website is suddenly unavailable.
• Small attacks over time (check system event logs).
• The attack may be a distraction for other cyber crimes or fraud.  Attackers may use this as a way to check your system's vulnerabilities as a way to prepare for another type of attack at a later date.

Further information can be found at: Action Fraud

How to prevent a DDoS attack?

Generally, these types of attacks are prevented by having modern and robust cyber security tools in place.

The NCSC have a downloadable document explaining how to prepare for such attacks: Prepare for denial of service (DoS) attacks

Aside from the technical aspects of protecting systems, it is always recommended to have a cyber response and business continuity plan in place.  Ensure all staff know what to do in the even of a cyber attack. 

This article is linked to a series of articles about different types of Cyber Attacks. They can be viewed in the Information/Cyber Security News section of the Data Protection Education website or as part of the Information & Cyber Security Best Practice Area. Each article discusses a different type of cyber attack, steps to try to minimise the risk and guidance.

Phishing is a type of cyber attack in which an attacker tries to trick the victim into giving away sensitive data, such as passwords, credit card numbers, or other personal data.  This is typically done by posing as a legitimate organisation, such as a bank, a social media platform, or an email service provider.

Phishing attacks can take many forms, but they often involve the use of emails or messages that appear to be from a trusted source, but are actually designed to lure the victim into clicking on a link or downloading an attachment that contains malware or other malicious code.  The attacker may also use social engineering tactics to convince the victim to provide sensitive information, such as by posing as a customer service representative or a technical support agent.

The Anti Phishing Working Group's latest report analyses phishing attacks: APWG Summary third quarter 2022

The DfE reports: Of the 39% of UK businesses who identified an attack, the most common threat vector was phishing attempts (83%). Full survey is here:

DfE Cyber Security Breaches Survey 2022

Office for National Statistics - Phishing attacks - who is most at risk?

How can you protect  yourself and your organisation?

The National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) – a part of GCHQ – has published practical advice on how to spot phishing attempts and report suspicious messages.

If you have any doubts about a message, contact the organisation directly.  If you think an email could be a scam, you can report it by forwarding it to: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

How do you train your staff to spot phishing emails article:

Raise awareness of staff through training (also NCSC cyber security training for staff) and posters. 

Remind staff about the importance of passwords. View our password checklist.

Ensure virus software is running.

Be wary of public Wi-Fi.

Keep software up to date. View our Cyber/Information Security Best Practice Area.

This article is linked to a series of articles about different types of Cyber Attacks. They can be viewed in the Information/Cyber Security News section of the Data Protection Education website or as part of the Information & Cyber Security Best Practice Area. Each article discusses a different type of cyber attack, steps to try to minimise the risk and guidance.

The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) defines insider threat as the threat that an insider will use their authorised access, intentionally or unintentionally to do harm to the organisation's mission, resources, personnel, information, equipment, networks or systems.  This can include theft or unauthorised access to sensitive data, installing malware or other malicious software, or disrupting normal operations.

They are people who have authorised and legitimate access to a company's assets and abuse it either deliberately or accidentally.

There are three insider threat sources:

1. Negligent or inadvertent users
2. Criminal or malicious insiders
3. Attackers that stole user credentials

How might an insider threat attack happen?

• People rushing to finish a task or project who have access to sensitive data or admin rights can cut corners.
• Remote working opens the organisation to personal devices being used and data intervertently being downloaded.
• People losing devices or having devices stolen.
• Clicking on a phishing email.
• Not installing regular updates.
• Installing non-organisation approved software which has malware.
• Leaving devices open to physical attacks such as a server not in a locked cupboard or room, is open to accidental spillages, USB devices being plugged in, turning off of all the organisation's systems by pressing the power button.
• Lack of IT expertise in the organisation could mean that someone unwittingly does not have all the appropriate systems controls in place.
• Deliberate sabotage.

How can you reduce the risk of a cyber attack?

• Ensure staff are trained regularly. View our How to avoid a data breach: Information and Cyber Security training course.  Also: NCSC Cyber Security Training for School Staff
• Raise awareness.  View our Drip Feed Awareness Posters, run Phishing Campaigns to teach staff how to recognise malicious emails.
• Promote a culture of cyber vigilance from the top down.  View our Governors and Data Best Practice Area
• Ensure devices are physically secure and regularly have security software updates/patches. View our Information & Cyber Security Best Practice Area
• Access control, both physically and with systems.  People should only have access to data and systems that they require. View our Information/Cyber Security Checklist
• Remove ex-employees from systems when they leave.
• Have good password management. View our Password Checklist

Remember: insiders don't act maliciously most of the time - a cyber attack is sometimes caused by a disgruntled employee but it's mostly by accident or negligence.

The role of cyber negligence in insider threats

 What to do in the event of a cyber attack?

Tell someone!  Report to IT. Report to SLT. 

Unplug the computer from the internet by removing the ethernet cable or turning the Wi-Fi off.

If you are a victim of a ransomware attack we would recommend reporting this to Action Fraud: https://www.actionfraud.police.uk/ as well as your data protection officer so they can advise about the data loss.  Most cyber crimes like these will also need to be reported to the ICO by your data protection officer.

Isolate the infected device and pass to IT 

Always ensure there are backups you can restore from.

Little Guide to ACTION FRAUD

This article covers ways in which cyber criminals profit from their cyber crimes.  Often we might think our data, if it is not financial, is not interesting or profitable to hackers, so this article discusses the different types of data that are stolen and why.

Financial data is the main data type that we all think of when considering why a hacker might steal information.  Financial data can be sold to various individuals for different purposes. It is not uncommon for thousands of records to be sold within 24 hours, making this a lucrative endeavour for the attacker and market owner.  More about this can be read in this blog by a reformed black hat hacker: Cybercriminals, Debit Cards, Credit Cards, and Underground Markets

Personal data is relatively easy to steal and will be information such as names, addresses, phone numbers, email addresses and national insurance numbers.  They can use this information to create fake identities or commit identity theft, which can then allow them to access bank accounts, credit cards and other financial resources.  This is why hackers find school MIS data attractive. WH Smith Recent Cyber Attack is a recent personal data attack.  The NCSC have written a paper about the cyber threat to Universities: https://www.ncsc.gov.uk/report/the-cyber-threat-to-universities

Intellectual property is when hackers steal such things as patents, trademarks, copyrights and trade secrets.  They can sell this information to competitors or use it to create their products.  This often happens between governments.  MI5 report a new body has been created to help the UK combat national security threats. - See more at: https://www.mi5.gov.uk/news/new-body-will-help-the-uk-combat-national-security-threats#sthash.hgLZxMI8.dpuf

Ransomware is when hackers encrypt data on a victim's computer and demand payment in exchange for the decryption key. This can be especially lucrative for hackers who target businesses or organisations that rely on their data to operate, such as schools.  See our previous article about schools that have been targeted in this way recently: VICE SOCIETY -  Ransomware attacks on schools.

Health data is stolen such as medical records or insurance information.  This information is used to commit identity theft or insurance fraud.  NHS Ransomware Attack.

Hackers profit from the data they steal in various ways, including:

1. Selling the data on the dark web: The data can be sold to other cybercriminals who can use it for their nefarious purposes.

2. Using the data themselves: Hackers can use the data to access accounts, commit identity theft, or create fake identities to commit further fraud.

3. Ransomware payments: If the hacker uses ransomware, they can demand a ransom payment in exchange for the decryption key.

4. Blackmail or extortion: In some cases, hackers may threaten to release sensitive information unless the victim pays a ransom or takes some other action.

In conclusion, hackers steal a variety of data from their victims, and they profit from this data in different ways, depending on the type of information stolen and the hacker's goals. To protect against these threats, it is essential to take cybersecurity seriously and implement appropriate security measures.

Visit our Info/Cyber Security Best Practice Area for help, guidance and support for cyber cyber security and data protection.

This website lists all the cyber crime statistics for the UK: https://proprivacy.com/blog/latest-uk-cybersecurity-cybercrime-statistics-2020-2022

What to do in an attack:

Tell someone!  Report to IT. Report to SLT. 

Unplug the computer from the internet by removing the ethernet cable or turning the Wi-Fi off.

If you are a victim of a ransomware attack we would recommend reporting this to Action Fraud: https://www.actionfraud.police.uk/ as well as your data protection officer so they can advise about the data loss.  Most cyber crimes like these will also need to be reported to the ICO by your data protection officer.

Isolate the infected device and pass to IT 

Always ensure there are backups you can restore from.

Remember – ‘Hackers don’t break in they login’!

On July 18, 2022, the U.K. government introduced the Data Protection and Digital Information Bill to Parliament. Previously known as the Data Reform Bill, it is the result of a consultation from 2021 and its aim is to update and simplify the U.K.’s data protection framework. According to the U.K. government, the new legal framework created by the DPDI Bill will reduce burdens on organizations while maintaining high data protection standards.

This articles lists the latest updates and new documents to the Knowledge Bank.

Malware is malicious software designed to harm computer systems and is linked to data protection in several ways.

	Malware can be used to steal or compromise sensitive data stored on a computer system or network. This data could include personal information, financial data, or confidential business information. In this sense, malware poses a significant threat to data protection, as it can lead to data breaches and other security incidents.
	Malware can be used to destroy or corrupt data, making it inaccessible or unusable. This can be particularly damaging if the data is important or essential for business operations, and can result in financial losses, reputational damage, and legal liabilities.
	Malware can be used to exploit vulnerabilities in computer systems or networks, potentially enabling attackers to gain unauthorized access to data or systems. This can result in data theft or other malicious activities, and can also compromise the security and privacy of individuals or organizations.

Name	What it is	What it Does & How it infects	Examples
	A type of malicious software that rapidly replicates and spreads to any device on a network.  Worms do not need a host program to spread.	A worm infects a device through a downloaded file or a network connection before it multiplies and spreads at an exponential rate.	Famous worms: Conficker, CodeRed, Morris Worm, Stuxnet Further guidance on worms
	A trojan virus is disguised as a helpful software program.	The user downloads it, then the Trojan can gain access to sensitive data and then modify, block or delete data.  It can be extremely harmful to the performance of the device.  They are not designed to self-replicate,	Zeus Gameover mostly used for stealing victim's bank information.
	Spyware is malicious software that runs secretly on a computer in the background and reports back to a remote user.	It targets sensitive information and can grant remote access to predators. It is often used to steal financial or personal information	Keylogger - records your keystrokes to reveal passwords and personal information.
	Adware is malicious software used to collect data on your computer usage and provide appropriate adverts to you. Adware is not always dangerous but can cause issues for your system.	Adware can redirect your browser to unsafe sites and it can even contain Trojan horses and spyware.  Significant levels of adware can slow down your system noticeably.	Appearch is a common adware program that acts as a browser hijacker.  It is usually bundled with free software and inserts so many ads into the browser that it makes surfing almost impossible.
	Ransomware is malicious software that gains access to sensitive information within a system, encrypts that information so that the user cannot access it, and then demands a financial pay-out for the data to be released.	Ransomware is usually part of a phishing scam. By clicking a link the user downloads the ransomware.  The attacker then proceeds to encrypt specific information that can only be unlocked with a special code.	Cryptolocker was one of the first examples. Fake Windows Updates. The VICE Society attacks schools.

Malware is closely linked to data protection, as it poses a significant threat to the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of sensitive data. Effective measures to prevent, detect, and respond to malware attacks are essential for ensuring data protection and maintaining the security of computer systems and networks. 

Check  your cyber resilience using our Information and Cyber Security Checklists

Visit our Information and Cyber Security Best Practice Area for support and guidance.

The headteacher of a grammar school has left her role after sending parents a list of the teachers going on strike.

The Headteacher at King Edward VI Five Ways Grammar school in Birmingham  had been headmistress for just 18 months when an email she sent to parents is alleged to have named some teachers who would be striking during the planned walkouts last month.

A number of schools have received the below email from a company called IPR Protection.  It is a scam and should be ignored.  

Further information can be found here: https://www.aptma.ie/news-and-events/beware-of-scam-emails

It may be advisable to ask your IT department to block any emails from This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

This article is a reminder that Microsoft will stop support for both Windows Server 2012 and Windows Server 2012 R2 after October 10th 2023.  Keeping software up to date on devices is best practice to help prevent cyber attacks and data breaches.

This article lists the ways that Data Protection Education can be contacted for general data protection queries, data breaches, subject access requests and freedom of information requests.

While all our customers have a dedicated consultant who can be contact directly, if there is an urgent issue we would always advise emailing This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

When you email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. a ticket in our Knowledgebank will be automatically created and you will receive an email notification of this.  The ticket can then be seen by all members of the Data Protection Education team which then means the person most suitable to your ticket query can provide an answer.

How do I update the ticket I raised?

If you email a reply to the original email notification or any updates you received, then the ticket will be automatically be updated and is something we would recommend. If you send a new email to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. then a new ticket will be created.  There is currently no way for us to merge tickets, so replying to the original email notification is helpful.

You could also login to the Knowledge Bank:

https://dataprotection.education/

and update your ticket directly with the information.

How do I tell DPE about data breaches/subject access requests/freedom of information requests?

How to add a Subject Access Request:

By logging a subject access request on the Knowledge Bank as soon as you receive it, we can guide you through the process and give any additional support and advice.

Login to the Knowledge Bank and go to 'Data Rights Log', select the white text in the title bar. Choose  on the next screen to add a new data breach log. Then complete as much detail as you can in the data       breach form.

You can also report a subject access request by emailing This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. which will raise a ticket but it will not add it to the data rights log. We always recommend that a subject access request is added to the data rights log where possible.

How to add a Data Breach:

The ICO says you must keep a record of any personal data breaches, regardless of whether you are required to notify them.  Logging those breaches in the DPE Knowledge Bank is a good way of keeping a record that your DPO can access and advise on.

Login to the Knowledge Bank and go to 'Breach Log', select the white text in the title bar. Choose  on the next screen to add a new data breach log. Then complete the form with as much detail as you can.

You can can also report a data breach by emailing This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. which will raise a ticket but it will not add it to the data breach log. We always recommend that a data breach is added to the breach log where possible.

How to add a Freedom of Information (FOI) Request:

By logging a freedom of information request on the Knowledge Bank as soon as you receive it, we can guide you through the process and give any additional support and advice.

Login to the Knowledge Bank and go to 'FOI Log', select the white text in the title bar. Choose  on the next screen to add a FOI. Complete as much detail as you can in the form.

You can also raise a ticket to ask for advice about an FOI by emailing This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. which will raise a ticket but it will not add it to the data breach log. We always recommend that a data breach is added to the breach log where possible.  Often advice and updates about current FOI's are posted on our news page:

https://dataprotection.education/news-top/news

It is also possible to contact us on: 0800 0862018

In 2023, YouTube faced the first complaint brought under the ICO's Children's Code, accused of collecting children's data without the protections the code requires. This article looks back at that complaint, explains what the Children's Code is, and sets out how the rules protecting children's data online have changed since.

The following article talks about how a school thwarted a cyber attack, more through luck than judgement.  Our advice is for the whole organisation to be cyber aware and review how your organisation might respond when attacked.    The article gives ideas on how to begin making a cyber ready plan.

In October 2020 Kellett School was subject to a ransomware denial-of-service (DoS) attack orchestrated by a Russian criminal hacker group.  After the attack, a post mortem diagnostic showed that they had most likely got into the school's system through a member of staff clicking on a link in a phishing email, which, because staff had admin rights to their school devices, installed malware on the school system.  The full article can be read here:

 https://www-tes-com.cdn.ampproject.org/c/s/www.tes.com/magazine/leadership/data/how-our-school-fought-back-after-cyberattack?amp

Things to note from this attack:

• Staff had been given admin access to to their school devices so that they could download any software from home that they needed during the period of home learning.
• There were no protocols in place to ensure that access to the school network was limited to current staff.
• There were no additional controls in place to the creation and deletion of admin accounts.
• Staff had not been made to change their passwords for years.
• Shutdowns and updates on school devices had not been forced
• Staff had never been trained in cyber-awareness

Recommendations:

• Senior Leadership makes cyber security part of the organisational culture
• Everyone in the organisation should understand cybersecurity.  The organisation should make use of complex passwords.
• Policies and procedures should be correctly followed.
• There should be cyber insurance and emergency support in place
• There should be an incident response plan
• There are recommended experts on stand-by for help

Further resources can be found in our Information Security best practice area: 

https://dataprotection.education/index.php/best-practice-library/best-practice/information-security

and our Cyber Security checklist:

https://dataprotection.education/component/tjucm/itemform/cyber-security?id=90881&cluster_id=114

This article is linked to a series of articles about different types of Cyber Attacks. They can be viewed in the Information/Cyber Security News section of the Data Protection Education website or as part of the Information & Cyber Security Best Practice Area. Each article discusses a different type of cyber attack, steps to try to minimise the risk and guidance

With the increase in Cyber crime against schools in the UK we are focusing in on what can be done to help prevent cyber crime in a way mangeable for school budgets.

To assign courses to your staff, we should use the to-do functionality via the Course Assignment and Progress Report.

When we assign a to-do via this report, and the user completes the course, the to-do will be automatically marked as complete in the to-do list. 

The Record of Processing can often seem like a daunting process to undertake- but it’s important to view it as exactly that- a process. Documenting the processes your organisation carries out is an ongoing project that you continue to evolve and develop as those processes change. The value you can get out of spending some time and care by completing various ones shouldn’t be underestimated. We’ve spoken to some of the people who have used the RoP tool on the Knowledge Bank, and asked them what they found challenging, and what they found the most useful parts of the tool, in the hope that it will help some of you who may feel that carrying out the Record of Processing is a daunting task.

VPN’s have become commonplace over the past couple of years, with every content creator out there having at some point been sponsored by Nord VPN (other VPN providers are available). VPN's are mostly used so that we can watch content on streaming platforms that would otherwise be blocked in the UK. However, as well as allowing you to watch Pulp Fiction on Canadian Netflix, VPN’s have excellent security benefits that can help prevent data breaches and cyber attacks. 

Under UK GDPR, Public Authorities or Bodies, as well as businesses carrying out certain processes are required to appoint a Data Protection Officer (DPO). This article will explain why you need a DPO and what a DPO does for your organisation.

Recently there has been an annual study published by Ponemon Institute (sponsored by Experian) entitled “Is Your Company Ready for a Big Data Breach?”. The study looks at the state of breach preparedness across organisations over a period of a year,

At Data Protection Education, we have an ongoing project to assess potential organisations that our schools are either currently contracted with to supply a product or service, or may in the future be in contract with.

For most organisations, a lot of thought and care goes into ensuring that when you’re collecting data, you are complying with the relevant data protection legislation- that it’s being collected with consent where required, that you have a lawful basis etc. However,

A recent study conducted by Check Point Research which can be found at the bottom of this article has found that there has been a 29% increase in cyberattacks on organisations in the education sector since 2020, the highest increase of any sector. 

Cyber attacks are on the up, and with the education sector seeing the highest number of cyber attacks of any sector since the start of the pandemic, as well as the highest increase in attacks in that same period

With biometric technology becoming more and more prevalent in society, the governance of the personal data that organisations collect from using this technology has recently been a topic of discussion.

The Children’s Code

The first update from the ICO is that the transition year for the introduction of The Children’s Code (also known as The Age Appropriate Design Code) has passed, with the code having come into effect on September 2nd.

Schools in Brighton and Hove have received the following Freedom of Information request:

1. Please send me copies/scans/digital files that record individual racist/religious incidents/bullying incidents in terms of numbers of incidents and their

The National Cyber Security Centre has today upgraded it's advice to schools relating to the prevalence of cybers attacks in the sector: