24th March 2021Ransomware warning to educational sites (March 2021)

This week (22/3/21) the NCSC (part of GCHQ) released this alert  document to raise awareness in schools, colleges and universities of the increasing risk of ransomware attacks. Cyber crime is on the increase and this has become more noticeable for educational sites over the last two years, particularly when it comes to ransomware.

Ransomware is a type of computer virus that corrupts, threatens to destory or locks you out of your school data until a ransome has been paid. Paying the ransome might not result in the safe return of your data and may even identify you as a profitable target for future attacks.

NCSC has a whole resource pack available for schools and early years settings to help them understand the threats, how to mitigate against them and plan for when it does happen.

https://www.ncsc.gov.uk/section/education-skills/cyber-security-schools

Feel like you need to know more about cyber security? You are not alone! Schools can sign up to a regular newsletter sent out by the newly formed SE Cyber Resilience Centre. Just sign up here as a ‘core’ member.

SEGfL offers training and support to member schools and local authorities in cyber security through our links with the SE ROCU and SE Cyber Resilience Centre. Please contact us if you would like to know more.