The UK's Department for Education (DfE) has confirmed a cyber-attack that resulted in the compromise of approximately 607,000 records. The accessed data includes telephone numbers and email addresses belonging to individuals and organizations.
The department stated that bank details and other highly sensitive information were not among the compromised data. The DfE has initiated a close collaboration with the National Cyber Security Centre and the National Crime Agency to address the incident.
A spokesperson for the DfE emphasized that robust processes are in place to protect information and that swift action was taken to contain the breach. The department indicated that the risk to individuals is considered low and that the attack was contained quickly. The affected systems included the Turing Scheme portal, which provides funding for international education, and the DfE online help desk, both of which are expected to resume normal operations later this week.
The DfE has self-referred the incident to the Information Commissioner's Office. The figure of 607,000 records pertains to the total number of affected records, not unique individuals. The department reiterated that no other data beyond customer service contact details was accessed.
This incident highlights a growing trend of cyber-attacks within the education sector. Recent government surveys indicate that around 24% of further education institutions reported experiencing a breach or attack at least weekly. Furthermore, more than half of schools have reported a cyber-attack or breach within the past year.