Records have been stolen from Southville Primary School in Bristol during a targeted cyberattack, according to Bristol City Council.
Information was exported from the school’s management information system, the council told the BBC.
Officials have not disclosed what types of records were taken or how many students, parents or staff members may be affected.
Parents and Regulators Notified
The school has contacted affected parents and guardians. The breach has also been reported to the Information Commissioner’s Office.
Bristol City Council is investigating the incident alongside specialist cybersecurity experts and the Regional Organised Crime Unit.
The investigation is examining how the attackers gained access, the full extent of the breach and whether it is connected to a separate attack against Bristol’s Schools IT network.
Possible Connection to Earlier Attack
The council believes the same criminals may be responsible for both incidents, but said the connection has not been confirmed.
The earlier attack began with suspicious activity detected on September 21. Malicious software was subsequently discovered on some school devices.
Council officers disconnected internet access at 88 schools on September 25 to contain the threat and prevent the attackers from moving further through the network.
The Southville Primary School breach is being treated as a separate incident because its management information system is not hosted on the wider Schools IT network.
Most Schools Partially Reconnected
The council said it has found no evidence that data was exported on a large scale from the wider Schools IT network.
As of Wednesday evening, 84 of the 88 affected schools had regained limited internet access. This included all 39 schools directly supported by the council’s IT service.
Security checks are continuing at the remaining schools before they can be reconnected.
No suspects or cybercrime groups have been publicly identified, and the type of information stolen from Southville Primary School remains undisclosed.
Sources: BBC | Bristol24/7
