St Augustine Academy school impacted by ransomware

The Church of England St Augustine Academy, secondary school in Maidstone serving over 750 students fell victim to a serious security breach last week.

The school alerted parents via Facebook that the school's email systems and telephone lines were compromised, and data had been encrypted by an external criminal organization, though it remains unclear if data was stolen.

While the external WisePay payment system remained secure, the school cautioned parents to remain vigilant for unusual emails or phone calls. Any compromised data may be used in targeted phishing attacks or identity fraud.

This attack on St Augustine Academy is part of a series of school breaches in the UK, occurring just before the start of the new academic year.