School forced to close after ransomware cyber attack

A city school has been forced to close for four days after a cyber attack on its IT systems.

St Anne's Catholic School in Southampton messaged parents on Sunday to say its network had been hacked by ransomware, which is where viruses threaten to delete files unless a ransom is paid.

The school said its IT team acted immediately to stop it spreading and reported the incident to the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO), the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) and police.

Headteacher Julian Waterfield said the school will open on Friday and there was currently "no evidence that any data has been compromised".

He added: "If that position changes, we will contact affected individuals immediately.

"We have also been supported by excellent experts and advisers, but cyber-crime is a highly specialised area, and we have had to take difficult decisions to protect both the school's IT network and the safety of students and staff.

"We would like to thank parents for their continued patience and understanding. Their messages of support have been greatly appreciated."

An ICO spokesperson said: "We can confirm we have received a report from St Anne's Catholic School and are assessing the information provided."

The NCSC spokesperson added: "We have provided advice and guidance to St Anne's Catholic School following a cyber incident."

The NCSC advised anyone who thinks they may have been a victim of a data breach to be especially vigilant of suspicious emails, phone calls and text messages, and to follow its guidance on data breaches.

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