Following a cyberattack that occurred in 2022, confidential data from 14 different UK schools has been leaked online by the hackers allegedly behind the breach. The information exposed includes children’s SEN information, passport scans, staff pay scales, and staff contract details. The information was reportedly leaked after the schools impacted by the attack refused to pay ransom demands. Security researchers suspect that the threat actor Vice Society is behind the attacks due to their activity conducting ransomware and extortion campaigns against education institutions in the UK and US.
The education sector has been a prime target for ransomware groups over the past few years. In October 2022, the Los Angeles Unified School District was the victim of another Vice Society attack that resulted in the ransomware group publishing the data it stole. The school district stated that it had no intentions of paying the extorters, which likely resulted in the leak.