Specialist cyber crime team investigates major Chichester school ransomware attack

Surrey and Sussex’s cyber crime team is investigating after Bishop Luffa school and Rumboldswhyke Primary School fell victim to a large scale ransomware attack on Thursday (March 9).

The hackers are reported to be demanding $100,000 in return for the deletion of hundreds of sensitive documents.

Chichester school hacking: $100,000 sought for release of children's addresses, exam papers and HR files, sources say

A spokesperson for Sussex Police said in a statement: “Sussex Police received reports of two schools in Chichester being targeted by ransomware attacks on Thursday (9 March).

An investigation is ongoing, led by Surrey and Sussex’s specialist Cyber Crime Team, to establish the scale of the attack and identify any perpetrators.

The force remain in contact with both affected schools.”

The headteacher, Austen Hindman, told this newspaper this week that the school does not plan on paying the ransom: “As a school we do not have the financial means to pay a ransom. Even if we did, it would be a poor lesson to our students if we gave in to bullying. It is hard to understand why someone would choose to steal from and vandalise a school and use information about children for financial gain.”

You can read his full statement here: Hackers threaten to release sensitive information from Chichester schools following ransomware attack