Ransomware hits Blackpool schools
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ppA major cyberattack has disrupted operations at multiple schools across LancashireppThe ransomware attack which occurred last week targeted the Fylde Coast Academy Trust FCAT compromising its IT infrastructure and limiting access to school systemsppAll 10 institutions under the FCAT umbrella have been affected They include four major academies in Blackpool â Armfield Academy Aspire Academy Montgomery Academy and Unity Academy â as well as Mereside Gateway Westcliff and Westminster primary schoolsppGarstang Community Academy and Hambleton Primary Academy are also dealing with the falloutppThe incident has disrupted daily operations with schools unable to rely on computers printers and other tech for routine tasks like maintaining registers and teaching from digital textbooks As a result schools have been forced to revert to traditional nonITbased processes for essential tasksppPhone lines have also been impactedppThe Trust is working with the Department of Education and has brought in specialists from Cyber Clan a Canadian firm that assists businesses in dealing with cyberattacksppThe attackers have reportedly demanded a significant ransom warning that they will permanently block access to FCATs systems if it isnt paidppThe Trust has not disclosed whether any sensitive data has been breachedppFCAT CEO Dean Logan confirmed the cyberattack and outlined the Trusts ongoing efforts to restore its systemsppUnfortunately Fylde Coast Academy Trust has been affected by threat actors ransomware this has infected the organisations IT infrastructure and resulted in limited accessibility to IT systems he saidppWithin hours of the attack the Trust was in receipt of support from the governments risk protection arrangements and a cybersecurity team was engaged to support the trust recovery planppTelephone lines were among the first services to be restored although with reduced capacity FCAT has asked parents and carers to limit nonessential communication with the schools until the system is fully operational againppMr Logan praised the response from staff students and local communitiesppLeaders teachers support staff and pupils have responded very positively and with resilience he saidppThe skills and knowledge learnt during the Covid 19 pandemic have provided reassurance and confidence in dealing with this challengeppThe Trust expects to begin restoring key services this week but full recovery may take several weeks to ensure the ransomware is completely removedppDr Darren Williams CEO and Founder of Blackfog a cybersecurity firm highlighted the increasing prevalence of such attacks in the education sectorppHe said The term Backtoschool is not only a source of anxiety for children returning from their summer break but also for education officials who are facing more cybersecurity challenges than ever before With yet another set of schools falling victim to ransomware the weaknesses and shortcomings of the traditional cybersecurity tools that many organisations continue to rely on are becoming increasingly apparent In this instance all 10 schools in the Blackpool trust have been forced to revert to manual processes as a result of the attackppUnfortunately education continues to top the ransomware leaderboard with August showing a 12 increase over the previous monthppThere is an urgent need for government to invest in more advanced cybersecurity technologies within this sector to keep pace with the rapidly evolving tactics used by attackers and to protect sensitive student datap
ppA major cyberattack has disrupted operations at multiple schools across LancashireppThe ransomware attack which occurred last week targeted the Fylde Coast Academy Trust FCAT compromising its IT infrastructure and limiting access to school systemsppAll 10 institutions under the FCAT umbrella have been affected They include four major academies in Blackpool â Armfield Academy Aspire Academy Montgomery Academy and Unity Academy â as well as Mereside Gateway Westcliff and Westminster primary schoolsppGarstang Community Academy and Hambleton Primary Academy are also dealing with the falloutppThe incident has disrupted daily operations with schools unable to rely on computers printers and other tech for routine tasks like maintaining registers and teaching from digital textbooks As a result schools have been forced to revert to traditional nonITbased processes for essential tasksppPhone lines have also been impactedppThe Trust is working with the Department of Education and has brought in specialists from Cyber Clan a Canadian firm that assists businesses in dealing with cyberattacksppThe attackers have reportedly demanded a significant ransom warning that they will permanently block access to FCATs systems if it isnt paidppThe Trust has not disclosed whether any sensitive data has been breachedppFCAT CEO Dean Logan confirmed the cyberattack and outlined the Trusts ongoing efforts to restore its systemsppUnfortunately Fylde Coast Academy Trust has been affected by threat actors ransomware this has infected the organisations IT infrastructure and resulted in limited accessibility to IT systems he saidppWithin hours of the attack the Trust was in receipt of support from the governments risk protection arrangements and a cybersecurity team was engaged to support the trust recovery planppTelephone lines were among the first services to be restored although with reduced capacity FCAT has asked parents and carers to limit nonessential communication with the schools until the system is fully operational againppMr Logan praised the response from staff students and local communitiesppLeaders teachers support staff and pupils have responded very positively and with resilience he saidppThe skills and knowledge learnt during the Covid 19 pandemic have provided reassurance and confidence in dealing with this challengeppThe Trust expects to begin restoring key services this week but full recovery may take several weeks to ensure the ransomware is completely removedppDr Darren Williams CEO and Founder of Blackfog a cybersecurity firm highlighted the increasing prevalence of such attacks in the education sectorppHe said The term Backtoschool is not only a source of anxiety for children returning from their summer break but also for education officials who are facing more cybersecurity challenges than ever before With yet another set of schools falling victim to ransomware the weaknesses and shortcomings of the traditional cybersecurity tools that many organisations continue to rely on are becoming increasingly apparent In this instance all 10 schools in the Blackpool trust have been forced to revert to manual processes as a result of the attackppUnfortunately education continues to top the ransomware leaderboard with August showing a 12 increase over the previous monthppThere is an urgent need for government to invest in more advanced cybersecurity technologies within this sector to keep pace with the rapidly evolving tactics used by attackers and to protect sensitive student datap
