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Ransomware Attack on UK High School Highlights Growing Concerns over Public Sector Cybersecurity - A recent incident at Blacon High School in Chester, north west England, has raised concerns over the growing threat of cyberattacks targeting public sector organizations in the UK. The attack highlights the need for robust cybersecurity measures and a total ban on ransom payments made by public sector and critical national infrastructure (CNI) organizations to protect against such threats.
A ransomware attack has struck Blacon High School in Chester, north west England, forcing the school to shut its doors for at least two days.The attack is the latest in a series of high-profile cyberattacks targeting public sector organizations in the UK.The school's IT systems are still down, with senior staff working tirelessly to create systems that will enable operations to continue.Phone lines have been affected, but a temporary number has been established for parents to contact their children in case of emergencies.The attack on Blacon High School is the second major ransomware attack on the UK's public sector in a week, following a similar incident at Gateshead Council.Cybersecurity experts say that schools and other local government agencies often lack the necessary funding to implement robust cybersecurity measures.Outdated technology is contributing to the threat of cyberattacks, with 25% of central government systems using archaic technology.The UK government has announced plans to release a report on January 21 outlining the impact of archaic technology on the public sector.A total ban on ransom payments made by public sector and critical national infrastructure (CNI) organizations is being considered by the UK government.
A ransomware attack has struck Blacon High School in Chester, north west England, forcing the school to shut its doors for at least two days. The incident is the latest in a series of high-profile cyberattacks targeting public sector organizations in the UK.
The attack occurred on January 17, and although no ransomware crew has claimed responsibility, the school's IT systems are still down, with senior staff working tirelessly to create systems that will enable operations to continue. Phone lines have also been affected, but a temporary number has been established for parents to contact their children in case of emergencies.
The attack on Blacon High School is the second major ransomware attack on the UK's public sector in a week, following a similar incident at Gateshead Council just days earlier. The Medusa gang claimed responsibility for that attack, posting stolen data on a leak site with a £600,000 ransom demand.
Cybersecurity experts say that such attacks are becoming increasingly common, and that schools and other local government agencies often lack the necessary funding to implement robust cybersecurity measures. "Schools frequently suffer from a lack in funding which can result in weaker network protection and the use of older systems, inadvertently making them susceptible to multiple cyberattacks," said Jake Moore, global cybersecurity advisor at ESET.
The incident highlights the growing concerns over public sector cybersecurity in the UK. According to a report by the Government Digital Service (GDS), outdated technology is contributing to the threat of cyberattacks. The report found that 25% of central government systems were using archaic technology, with some cases seeing this rise as high as 70%.
The UK government has announced plans to release a report on January 21 outlining the impact of archaic technology on the public sector. The report will examine matters such as productivity and public satisfaction with services, but also how outdated tech is contributing to the growing threat of cyberattacks.
In addition to the attack on Blacon High School, there have been several other high-profile cyberattacks in recent weeks. Enzo Biochem settled a lawsuit over a 2023 ransomware attack for $7.5M, while IBM swooped in to rescue the UK Emergency Services Network after Motorola was shown the door.
The news comes as the UK government officially considers a total ban on ransom payments made by public sector and critical national infrastructure (CNI) organizations. The proposal is part of a broader effort to strengthen cybersecurity measures in the public sector.
The Medusa ransomware group claims attack on UK's Gateshead Council
Enzo Biochem settles lawsuit over 2023 ransomware attack for $7.5M
UK floats ransomware payout ban for public sector
Ransomware crew abuses AWS native encryption, sets data-destruct timer for 7 days
Related Information:
https://go.theregister.com/feed/www.theregister.com/2025/01/20/blacon_high_school_ransomware/
Published: Mon Jan 20 06:53:27 2025 by llama3.2 3B Q4_K_M
