✅ 🔒 Organisation's rely heavily on third-party software suppliers for day to day business. We explore the critical aspects of software supplier due diligence and why it should be a priority for every organisation.
All News
- Tammy Buchanan
- Best Practice Updates
Blacon High School Cyber Attack
🏴☠️ 📢 A school is closed today and tomorrow as the result of a ransomware cyber attack.
- Tammy Buchanan
- Best Practice Updates
What the proposed Government legislative proposal around cyber crime means
- Tammy Buchanan
- Information/Cyber Security
Safeguarding Identity in Microsoft 365: Protecting the UK Education Sector Against Cyber Threats
- Tammy Buchanan
- Best Practice Updates
Cyber Security Best Practice Area
- Tammy Buchanan
- Best Practice Updates
Schools and Trusts Best Practice Area
We've put all the specific school and trust related data protection guides, documents and queries into one area to make it easier for you.
- Tammy Buchanan
- Best Practice Updates
The DPE Retention Schedule
A cyber incident is an event with threatens the confidentiality, integrity or availability of information systems, networks or the information they contain.
Review our previous article: What's a Cyber Incident and what should we do?
Cyber incidents can be intentional or accidental and can cause major disruptions. The recently reported CrowdStrike incident caused significant global disruption. While there are huge impacts to the affected systems, for which there are now fixes available, there will be an aftermath of 'unrest' where threat actors will use people's vulnerability and concern to send phishing emails.
The NCSC has already reported an increased in phishing activity as opportunistic and malicious actors seek to take advantage of the situation. The emails could be aimed at organisations or individuals.
The NCSC has released this guidance:
| Organisations should review NCSC guidance to make sure that multi-layer phishing mitigations are in place, while individuals should be alert to suspicious emails or messages on this topic and know what to look for. |
Their full report can be read here: NCSC Major IT Outage
We've made a short micro learning video for you to share with staff about how they might be affected by cyber incidents like this one:
View our other free micro learning videos!
Article images created using Microsoft Copilot AI.
Micro Learning video created using Vyond AI.
What to do in the event of a Cyber Attack
Incidents or attacks where any security breaches may have taken place, or other damage was caused, should be reported to an external body.
The SLT digital lead will be responsible for assigning someone to report any suspicious cyber incidents or attacks. This person will need to report this to:
- Report Fraud on 0300 123 2040, or the Report Fraud website
- the DfE sector cyber team at
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
You may also need to report to:
- the NCSC website if the incident or attack causes long term school closure, the closure of more than one school, or serious financial damage
- the ICO website within 72 hours, where a high risk data breach has or may have occurred
- your cyber insurance provider (if you have one), such as risk protection arrangement (RPA)
- Jisc, if you are a part of a further education institution
You must act in accordance with:
- Report Fraud guidance for reporting fraud and cyber crime
- Academy Trust Handbook Part 6, if you are part of an academy trust
- ICO requirements for reporting personal data breaches
Police investigations may find out if any compromised data has been published or sold and identify the perpetrator.
Preserving evidence is as important as recovering from the crime.
Forward suspicious emails to
- Tammy Buchanan
- Information/Cyber Security
King's speech introduces new bills in relation to cyber security, smart data and digital information
- Out of date technology
- What's a Cyber Incident and what should we do?
- Cyber attack on a school during half term
- Free short cyber training for staff
- The rise of cyber attacks in schools are causing pupils to miss classes
- ICO: Learning from the mistakes of others report
- Children's mental health data leaked after a cyber attack
- Cyber attack on a Trust; the aftermath
- Social Media Best Practice Area
- Lettings Best Practice Area
- MFA Bombing - What is it?
- Product Focus on Checklists : Initial Trust Plan
- Product Focus on Checklists : Information and Cyber Security
- Product Focus on Checklists : End of Term Checklist
- Product Focus on Checklists : Social Media
- Cyber Incident Review: The Benefits
- Product Focus on Checklists : Lettings
- Product Focus on Checklists : Record of Processing
- Why Data Should Stay Put: Benefits of Keeping Data in Its Original System
- Product Focus on Checklists : Data Retention and Destruction
- Product Focus on Checklists : Data Migration
- Product Focus on Checklists : Biometrics
- Product Focus on Checklists : Supplier Due Diligence
- Free Cyber help, advice and training with the Cyber Resilience Centres
- The Perils of Paper: The Printing Vulnerability
- Product Focus on Checklists : FOI
- Product Focus on Checklists : Governors and Data
- Product Focus on Checklists : DPIA
- Product Focus on Checklists : Site Moves
- Product Focus on Checklists : Data Breaches
- Product Focus on Checklists : Subject Access Requests
- Cyber attack on a University
- Product Focus on Checklists : Bring your own device
- Product Focus on Checklists : Working out of school/offsite
- Cyber Attack on a School
- Product Focus on Checklists : Redaction
- Product Focus on Checklists : CCTV
- Product Focus on Checklists : Clear desk
- Product Focus on Checklists : Commitment to compliance
- Product Focus on Checklists : Photos and video
- Product Focus on Checklists : Passwords
- Product Focus on Checklists : Information Classification
- Kent Councils Data Breach
- Free cyber training for staff
- DfE Digital Standards Update
- Where is your data stored?
- Phishing attacks targeting schools - alert from City of London Police
- The ICO reprimands a Multi Academy Trust
- CISA and UK NCSC Announce Joint Guidelines for Secure AI System Development
- Trust Initial Plan Checklist Update
- Update on Advisory for Rhysida Ransomware
- Records Management Best Practice Update
- The Crime in a Cyber Attack and a Data Breach
- NCSC Annual Review is published for 2023
- Learning from Data Breaches
- Windows 11 security ineffective against attacks on old devices
- Trust Initial Plan for Data Protection Compliance (for Multi Academy Trusts)
- International Counter Ransomware Initiative 2023 Joint Statement
- Google for Education Resources: Helping IT Admins meet DfE digital and technology standards
- Top Ten Cyber Security Misconfigurations
- ICO Reprimand: company suffered a ransomware attack
- The UK Online Safety Bill becomes an Act (Law)
- The importance of software updates (PaperCut vulnerability and Rhysida ransomware)
- Ransomware, extortion and the cyber crime ecosystem
- Cyber Resource: The Cyber Resilience Centre Group
- Email and Security: ICO recent guidance
- Help after a Cyber Attack/Incident
- What to do in the event of a Cyber Attack
- How KCSIE is linked to Cyber Strategy
- Cyber Crime: AI Generated Phishing Attacks
- Cyber Attack: Exam Boards
- VICE SOCIETY - Ransomware attacks on schools
- Using Tags if you are a group of organisations in the DPE Knowledge Bank
- Where's Harry the Hacker?
- Be Cyber Aware: USB Sticks
- Cyber Insurance in the Public Sector
- Types of Cyber Attacks: DDos Attack (Microsoft DDoS Attack in June)
- Cyber Attack: Leytonstone School
- Be Cyber Aware: Firewalls
- Be Cyber Aware: Cyber attacks and transparency. A no blame culture
- Cyber Attack: Dorchester School
- Knowledge Bank Role Types: Admin, Staff and Trustee
- Types of Cyber Attacks: Password Attacks
- Be Cyber Aware: Why regular software updates are important
- Cyber Attack: Wiltshire School
- Keeping your IT systems safe and secure
- Why we recommend using PIN codes on printers
- Types of Cyber Attacks: DDoS Attacks
- Types of Cyber Attacks: Phishing
- Redaction Guidelines Updated
- Types of Cyber Attacks: The Insider Threat
- Why your data is profitable to cyber criminals
- Using WhatsApp in Schools
- Knowledge Bank Updates
- Types of malware and how they are linked to data protection
- Windows Server 2012 & 2012 R2 Retirement
- How to contact us for support, subject access requests, data breaches and FOI's
- How a school fought back after a cyberattack
- Types of Cyber Attacks - Credential Stuffing
- January Cyber update - How Can Schools Help Prevent Cyber Attacks?
- Assigning courses to staff using to-dos
- The Education sector now at highest risk of cyber attacks
- Cyber Attacks
- Best Practice for Managing Photos and Video
- Compliance Manager released
- Emails – good practice and minimising the risk of a data breach
©2026 Data Protection Education Ltd.