Hackers have obtained about 607,000 records in a cyber-attack on the Department for Education in England.
The data taken includes telephone numbers and email addresses relating to individuals and organisations. The Department for Education confirmed the incident and said it is working closely with the National Cyber Security Centre and the National Crime Agency.
The department stressed that the 607,000 figure relates to the total number of records affected, not individuals. No bank details or other sensitive information were taken.
The data protection risk to individuals is not considered high, and it is understood the attack was contained quickly.
What Was Affected
The Turing Scheme portal — a programme providing funding for international education — and the Department for Education online help desk have both been affected. Both are expected to be operating normally later this week.
The Department for Education has referred itself to the Information Commissioner’s Office.
“We have robust processes in place to protect information and took swift action to contain this incident,” a Department for Education spokesperson said. “The information involved is limited to customer service contact details relating to individuals and organisations. No other data has been accessed.”
A Growing Problem
Cyber incidents within the education sector are becoming more frequent.
According to the government’s most recent Cyber Security Breaches Survey:
— Around 24% of further education institutions reported experiencing a breach or attack at least weekly.
— More than half of schools have reported an attack or breach in the last year.
The National Crime Agency confirmed it is aware of the incident and is working with partners to understand the circumstances and impact.
The Bottom Line
Hackers have stolen about 607,000 records from the Department for Education in England, including phone numbers and email addresses. No bank details or sensitive information were taken. The Turing Scheme portal and online help desk were affected but are expected to resume normal operations this week. The government is working with the National Cyber Security Centre and the National Crime Agency to investigate.
