The UK schools group that took on a ransomware gang
Held to Ransom, the latest episode of BBC Radio 4’s series File on 4, tells the story of the Harris Federation, a schools group that was hit with ransomware. It reconstructs the attack made by Russian cyber criminals, which shut down the schools’ systems and made threats to release sensitive information online.
The programme is as fascinating as it is timely: the education sector was struck by more than 70 ransomware attacks during the pandemic alone and in March, the NCSC revealed that schools had lost financial records, students’ coursework and Covid-19 testing data during a spike in cyber attacks targeting the sector.
One in five schools and colleges have fallen victim to cyber crime, according to research from specialist insurer Ecclesiastical, so it’s more important than ever to ensure you are prepared for the worst.
Though – as Dan Moynihan, Chief Executive of the Harris Federation pointed out using Mike Tyson’s famous words, ‘everyone has a plan until they get punched in the face’.
The reality of the aftermath of a ransomware attack is unknown to many, which is what makes this story from BBC Radio 4 so compelling.
According to BBC Radio 4:
“The Harris Federation seems an unlikely target for ransomware criminals but it found itself at the centre of a cyber attack by anonymous hackers. With its servers down and a ransom demand of nearly £3 million, school leaders had to decide quickly whether to pay or suffer the consequences. File on 4 has unique access to the extraordinary negotiations that took place behind the scenes, involving an Israeli security company and Russian hackers.
More British institutions are being hit by ransomware gangs than ever before, from multi-national corporations to health care trusts and even schools.
The attackers hack into an organisation’s computer system, encrypt the data and demand a ransom to get it back. Increasingly, they also threaten to publish sensitive information if no payment is made. It’s known as double extortion.
The former head of the National Cyber Security Centre tells File on 4 that the government needs to intervene as a matter of urgency, and make it illegal to pay ransomware gangs.”
Want to protect your school from cyber attacks?
Ultimately, you’re responsible for protecting the sensitive data of vulnerable young people, so it’s vital that appropriate measures are in place to protect it. You’re also providing a critical service in teaching, guiding and safeguarding our young people, so if you’re unable to operate due to a cyber attack, the negative impact could be significant. And disruption to systems and networks can be expensive to fix (and potentially result in fines), stopping you from being able to operate, compromising safeguarding and damaging your reputation
We have a lot of experience in this area and want to help schools minimise the risks. Our best advice is to take action rather than waiting for an attack to hit. We’ve put together a special page that outlines what you can do here – otherwise, get in touch using the contact form below, and a member of our team will happily talk you through the options.