InfoSec / Cyber

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Illustrative image depicting phishing, cyber attacks, and data security risks for online users.
Information/Cyber Security

Phishing remains one of the most prevalent and effective cyberattack methods, tricking millions into compromising their data every year. These deceptive messages, often arriving via email, text message (smishing), or phone call (vishing), are designed to look legitimate. They aim to trick you into revealing sensitive information like login credentials, credit card numbers, or personal data, or to click on malicious links that install malware. They may also be the start of a more complex cyber attack as a way into a system.

Digital representation of data security, highlighting shared responsibility for cyber threats in schools and trusts.
Information/Cyber Security

Cyber security can look like an IT problem, something for someone else to handle. It isn't. DPE has created as set of resources as a starting point to help you work out, role by role, who is accountable, who does the work, who should be consulted, and who just needs to be kept informed. Almost everyone in a trust or school appears somewhere on that list. That's the whole idea behind this year's theme: don't make it easy for them. Attackers rely on someone assuming it's not their job.

Digital illustration showing data security for schools with physical, technical, and administrative safeguards protecting sensitive information.
Information/Cyber Security

Whether your school's data lives in a server cupboard down the corridor or in the cloud, the same question applies: is it protected from unauthorised access, corruption or theft, throughout its whole lifecycle? Data security combines physical, technical and administrative safeguards, and getting all three right matters more as schools move more of their data off-site.

Digital graphic symbolizing a cyber attack and data breach at the Department for Education (DfE).
Information/Cyber Security

The Department for Education confirmed that hackers have accessed its internal helpdesk and the Turing Scheme portal, taking more than 600,000 records. Contact details belonging to headteachers, senior school leaders, government officials and university staff were among the data taken, and some of it has since appeared on the dark web.

Understandably, this has caused a lot of anxiety across the sector and, predictably, a lot of speculation. Was this preventable? Should the DfE have done more? Who's to blame?

Department for Education's Cyber Security Hub graphic, showing digital protection for schools against cyber threats.
Information/Cyber Security

Cyber attacks on schools are no longer a distant threat. The Department for Education (DfE) has just launched a dedicated Cyber Security Hub to help schools navigate this growing danger, and as a school leader, it's worth understanding exactly what it offers and why it matters.  If you were at our conference in February you were lucky enough to see a preview of the tool!

  1. The Cyber Security Breaches Survey 2025/2026 - Key Advice for Schools
  2. Holiday Cheer or Cyber Fear? : Essential Pre-holiday Checks
  3. What is the Stryker cyber attack and why should schools be wary?
  4. Cyber Alert: Surrey and Sussex Schools Targeted by Phishing and Ransomware Attacks
  5. Is your IT Support Provider Compliant?
  6. The Government Cyber Action Plan
  7. Shareable Snippet: Be Cyber Ready
  8. What does the technology in schools survey tell us?
  9. Four London councils hit by cyber attacks - Hackney, Westminster, Kensington & Chelsea, and Hammersmith & Fulham
  10. IT Support Standards for Schools and Colleges Guidance (DfE Digital Standards)
  11. October 31. On the road to improving cyber resilience
  12. October 30. Cyber Support
  13. October 29. Admin Controls & Accounts
  14. October 28. Phishing: Don't Take the Bait!
  15. October 27. Passwords
  16. October 26. Physical Security of Digital Assets
  17. October 25. Server Security: Protecting Your Digital Core
  18. October 24. Backups: Your Recovery Safety Net
  19. October 23. Filtering and Monitoring
  20. October 22. Hardware: Printers
  21. October 21. Hardware: Asset Management
  22. October 20. Hardware: Safe disposal
  23. October 19. Anti-virus/anti-malware
  24. October 18. Regular Updates: Patching Against Threats
  25. October 17. Access Control: Managing User Privileges
  26. October 16. Access Control: Securing Your Digital Gateways (Wi-Fi & Networks)
  27. October 15. Access Control: Securing Your Home Office (Working From Home)
  28. October 14. Access Control : (Multi-factor authentication)
  29. October 13. Cyber Security Awareness
  30. October 12. Training: Empowering your human firewall
  31. October 11. Policies and Procedures: Cyber Blueprint
  32. October 10. Understanding Your Cyber Posture
  33. Time's Ticking: Windows 10 support ends in October 2025!
  34. October 9. A Guide for Education Providers
  35. October 8. How Can Your Organisation Prevent Ransomware Attacks?
  36. October 7: Under Attack: The Reality of Ransomware
  37. October 6: Cyber Action Plan and A Roadmap to Resilience
  38. October 5: Cyber Responsibilities - We're All in This Together
  39. October 4: When a Cyber Attack Hits
  40. October 3: Data Security, the Core of Protection
  41. October 2: Privacy Protection & Safeguarding Personal Data
  42. Nursery Cyber attack
  43. The NCSC Cyber Assessment Framework
  44. The Classroom's Dark Side: Cyber crime from the Classroom
  45. The Latest Cyber Threat: The "Murky Panda"
  46. Social engineering + impersonation = Fraud ≡ cyber deception
  47. School cyber attack: Framlingham College, Suffolk
  48. Getting caught in the Scattered Spider web
  49. A Wake-Up Call for Cyber Vigilance - Danger in the Threat Landscape for Everyone
  50. Apple removes its highest level data security tool from UK customers
  51. The role of Passkeys in Cyber Resilience and Cyber Security
  52. Effectively communicating during a cyber incident
  53. Safeguarding Identity in Microsoft 365: Protecting the UK Education Sector Against Cyber Threats
  54. How does the recent global IT outage affect me?
  55. King's speech introduces new bills in relation to cyber security, smart data and digital information
  56. What's a Cyber Incident and what should we do?
  57. Free short cyber training for staff
  58. Children's mental health data leaked after a cyber attack
  59. Cyber Incident Review: The Benefits
  60. Cyber attack on a University
  61. Kent Councils Data Breach
  62. Phishing attacks targeting schools - alert from City of London Police
  63. Update on Advisory for Rhysida Ransomware
  64. The Crime in a Cyber Attack and a Data Breach
  65. NCSC Annual Review is published for 2023
  66. Learning from Data Breaches
  67. Windows 11 security ineffective against attacks on old devices
  68. International Counter Ransomware Initiative 2023 Joint Statement
  69. Top Ten Cyber Security Misconfigurations
  70. ICO Reprimand: company suffered a ransomware attack
  71. The UK Online Safety Bill becomes an Act (Law)
  72. The importance of software updates (PaperCut vulnerability and Rhysida ransomware)
  73. Ransomware, extortion and the cyber crime ecosystem
  74. Cyber Resource: The Cyber Resilience Centre Group
  75. Email and Security: ICO recent guidance
  76. What to do in the event of a Cyber Attack
  77. Cyber Crime: AI Generated Phishing Attacks
  78. Cyber Attack: Exam Boards
  79. VICE SOCIETY - Ransomware attacks on schools
  80. Be Cyber Aware: USB Sticks
  81. Cyber Insurance in the Public Sector
  82. Types of Cyber Attacks: DDos Attack (Microsoft DDoS Attack in June)
  83. Cyber Attack: Leytonstone School
  84. Be Cyber Aware: Firewalls
  85. Be Cyber Aware: Cyber attacks and transparency. A no blame culture
  86. Cyber Attack: Dorchester School
  87. Types of Cyber Attacks: Password Attacks
  88. Be Cyber Aware: Why regular software updates are important
  89. Cyber Attack: Wiltshire School
  90. Keeping your IT systems safe and secure
  91. Why we recommend using PIN codes on printers
  92. Types of Cyber Attacks: DDoS Attacks
  93. Types of Cyber Attacks: Phishing
  94. Types of Cyber Attacks: The Insider Threat
  95. Why your data is profitable to cyber criminals
  96. Types of malware and how they are linked to data protection
  97. How a school fought back after a cyberattack
  98. Types of Cyber Attacks - Credential Stuffing
  99. January Cyber update - How Can Schools Help Prevent Cyber Attacks?
  100. The Education sector now at highest risk of cyber attacks
  101. Cyber Attacks
  102. Emails – good practice and minimising the risk of a data breach

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