Northern Ireland School Records Exposed in Cyber Attack: Steps for Parents

The Education Authority in Northern Ireland has informed parents that a cyber attack affected more schools than initially reported. Letters were sent to families at 23 schools on Thursday, warning that their child's personal data may have been accessed by unauthorized individuals during the security breach. If your child attends one of the 23 affected schools in Northern Ireland, you should have received a letter from the Education Authority. The letter would explain that your child's personal information may have been exposed. If you received this letter, your family is directly affected and needs to take action.

Here is what you should do right now if you received a letter from the Education Authority:

1. Read the letter carefully to understand exactly what information about your child may have been exposed.
2. Watch your child's accounts and your family email for any suspicious messages or unusual activity.
3. Talk to your child about not responding to unexpected emails or messages, especially ones asking for personal information or passwords.
4. Contact the school directly if you have questions or concerns about what data was affected.
5. Monitor any accounts that might be connected to school records, such as parent portals or school lunch payment systems. To protect your family going forward, teach your children basic online safety. Remind them never to share passwords, even with friends. Set up separate email addresses for school use versus personal use when possible. Keep communication open with your children about any strange messages they receive. Check in regularly with your school about their security measures and any updates about this breach.