CYBER crooks are waging war on schools - with more than a third in England hit by crippling attacks in the past year, officials have warned.
Education chiefs are scrambling to protect pupils after a surge in hacking attempts, many linked to Russian-speaking ransomware gangs.
The National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) - the UK’s top authority on cyber threats - said the education sector is now one of the most targeted parts of the public sector.
NCSC Deputy Director Sarah Lyons told The Sun: "Cyber attacks at schools, academies, colleges and universities can have serious real-world consequences, from disrupting students’ learning to putting sensitive information at risk.
“Sadly, we know these institutions see a range of threats facing their networks, with recent figures highlighting more than a third of schools and colleges in England have experienced a cyber incident during the last academic year."
Experts at cyber firm Sophos said schools are being picked because hackers see them as “frequent victims” with weak cyber defences, outdated systems and tight budgets.
Their data shows ransom demands for schools now average £5.1million, with recovery costs soaring to nearly £3million.
In one significant attack last year, ten schools in Lancashire were knocked offline after ransomware gang Rhysida crippled the Fylde Coast Academy Trust.
Trust CEO Dean Logan said they went back to "chalk and talk" and have since invested around £300,000 in "resilience measures".
On whether more should be done to protect schools, he said: "There's under investment and its not the first priority for a school trust."
A Department for Education spokesperson said: “We take the cyber security of our schools seriously and understand the significant disruption attacks can cause.
“We have a dedicated support team for schools affected by cybercrime."
But unions say more must be done, with James Bowen, of school leaders’ union NAHT, saying: "School leaders already work closely with their IT partners and providers to ensure a high level of protection is in place.
But they and their staff would certainly benefit from additional funded training on spotting and responding to these evolving risks.”
Officials have issued a warning that cyber criminals are targeting schools in England, with over a third of schools experiencing damaging attacks in the past year. These attacks, many of which are linked to Russian-speaking ransomware gangs, have prompted education leaders to take urgent action to safeguard students.
The National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) has identified the education sector as one of the most targeted areas in the public sector. NCSC Deputy Director Sarah Lyons emphasized the serious consequences of cyber attacks on schools, colleges, and universities, including disruptions to learning and the risk of exposing sensitive information.
Experts at cyber firm Sophos have noted that schools are attractive targets for hackers due to their perceived vulnerability, outdated systems, and limited budgets. Ransom demands for schools now average £5.1 million, with recovery costs reaching nearly £3 million.
In a notable incident last year, ten schools in Lancashire were rendered offline after a ransomware attack by the Rhysida gang. The Fylde Coast Academy Trust, which was affected by the attack, has since invested around £300,000 in enhancing its security measures.
While the Department for Education has expressed its commitment to supporting schools affected by cybercrime, unions are calling for additional measures to be taken. James Bowen from the school leaders' union NAHT highlighted the need for funded training to help school staff identify and respond to evolving cyber risks.
