The council is now contacting all parents, carers, and education staff to let them know about the breach and offer advice. Most of the stolen data relates to routine school operations like lesson planning. However, some personal information has also been taken.
Although key systems that store confidential pupil records, financial data, and social work files are separate, officials say they can’t rule out the possibility that some medical or social work information was also accessed.
A group called Interlock is believed to be behind the attack. Cybercriminal gangs like this use malware to lock up files and then demand a ransom, threatening to publish the stolen data if the payment isn’t made.
The attack was discovered two weeks ago and affected IT systems across 13 secondary schools, 69 primary schools, and 61 nurseries in the area. The education network was quickly disconnected from the rest of the council’s systems, and there is no evidence that other council departments were affected.
Officials became aware of the stolen data after a scanned passport was found online. It’s not yet clear whether the passport belonged to a child or an adult.
Despite the breach, schools have stayed open, and contingency plans have helped ensure that exams and lessons continue with minimal disruption.
In a recent update, the council said that less than 10% of data from the education servers was stolen. They urged people to stay alert for scams, as the stolen information could be used in phishing attacks or other fraud attempts.
Parents have been asked not to call schools or the council’s support line for more information, as no further details are available yet. Updates will be posted on the council’s website as the investigation continues.
The public is advised to change their passwords and use strong, unique ones.
Police Scotland and other agencies are currently investigating the incident. A spokesperson for the Scottish Government said ministers are aware of the situation and are working with the council, the Scottish Cyber Coordination Centre, and Police Scotland to respond.
This attack on West Lothian Council comes amid a surge in similar cyberattacks in the UK, which have recently targeted major retailers including Marks & Spencer, the Co-op, and Harrods.
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