IMPORTANT: Schools and Cyber Security

Dear Colleagues,

On Friday 6th January the BBC reported on a series of cyber attacks by a hacking group called Vice Society. It has resulted in children’s SEN information, child passport scans, staff pay scales and contracts being leaked online. It is worth a read, and shows the vulnerability of schools’ cyber security is being exploited, putting sensitive personal data at risk. Please see the article here: Schools hit by cyber attack and documents leaked – BBC News and contact the SIS team if you have any immediate concerns sis@buckinghamshire.gov.uk

The latest statistics published by the Department for Education in July 2022 found that in the 12 months prior, 41 per cent of primary schools and 70 per cent of secondary schools had identified attacks or breaches. The South East Organised Crime Unit https://serocu.police.uk/cyber/ would like to help to reduce those numbers.

If you would like to learn more about how to protect your school against cyber attacks, the South East Organised Crime Unit offer FREE training sessions, both at leadership and whole staff levels. Please contact cyberprotect@serocu.police.uk to discuss this further.

Kind regards,

Gareth

Gareth Drawmer

Head of Service

Achievement & Learning