Hackers publish 320,000 stolen school files on dark web

Summarised from 4 outlets · Updated 5 Nov, 10:21 · Archive

Hackers have published over 320,000 files stolen from Bristol schools on the dark web following a September cyber attack.

Cyber criminals have published more than 320,000 files stolen from schools on the dark web after hacking Bristol City Council's Trading with Schools platform in September. The platform is used by schools across the region to store sensitive information about children, including educational psychology reports and personal data.

Bristol City Council initially said the breach affected 39 schools, though Metro reports that 88 schools using the platform have been affected. The council first suspected a cyber attack on 21 September and shut down the service four days later. Investigators are continuing to work through the material to identify the full extent of the leak and determine which specific schools and individuals had information exposed.

Vik Verma, Director of Education and Skills at Bristol City Council, said the news would be concerning for parents, carers and school staff. He stated that determining what information may have been affected 'remains a key focus of our investigation' and that 'officers are working through a large volume of material as quickly as possible'.

Schools are issuing guidance to families, urging them to monitor bank statements for unusual activity, be cautious of unexpected messages and emails, and avoid clicking on links or opening attachments in unsolicited communications. Verma added: 'We would encourage everyone to remain vigilant' and said the council would keep schools and families updated as more information becomes available.

Bristol City Council is working with Avon and Somerset Police and the South West Regional Organised Crime Unit as investigations continue. TechRadar reports that leaks of this kind typically follow failed extortion attempts by the threat actors, though the council has not confirmed whether any ransom demand was made.

How it is being reported

• Hackers publish over 320,000 files stolen from 39 Bristol schools on the dark webThe September breach has made it to the dark web and investigators are analyzing the nature of the leaked files.TechRadar · 5 Nov, 10:09
• UK schools targeted in cyber attack with 320,000 stolen files published on dark webA total of 88 schools using the council’s platform have been affected (Picture: Shutterstock) More than 320,000 files stolen in a cyber attack targeting schools have been published on the dark web. The personal data was stolen in September from a school server used by Bristol City Council. A total…Metro · 4 Nov, 16:11
• Hackers steal 320,000 UK school files and publishes them on dark webSpecialist investigators discovered a ‘significant number of files’ posted to the dark webThe Independent · 4 Nov, 13:49
• Hackers publish 320,000 stolen school files on dark web as parents warned to stay 'vigilant'The files were taken from a server used by schools which holds sensitive information about children, including educational psychology files.Daily Mail · 4 Nov, 11:41

In this story: Bristol City Council · Vik Verma · Avon and Somerset Police · South West Regional Organised Crime Unit · Trading with Schools platform · Bristol

This summary was written by AI from the headlines and standfirsts above, and states as fact only what at least two outlets report. How we use AI · Report a problem · Corrections log