As we head into the Christmas holiday season, it can feel a bit Grinch-like to be talking about data breaches, hacking, ransomware and other similarly un-festive topics.
Unfortunately, however, not only do schools remain a notable target for cyber criminals but we know from recent years that striking during the holiday period – when staff availability and response times are more limited – can be a specific tactic.
Overworked staff and outdated software are only going to exacerbate the risks of system penetration by bad actors, and will be factors in the enforcement risk too. Given the nature, sensitivity and volume of the information they hold on parents, pupils and staff, it is vital that schools show preparedness for these incidents.
Current trends and areas of risk for the sector
In this article we highlight the trends in this area that we have been seeing in 2025 and flag some key recommendations both for mitigating risk in the first place and dealing with the consequences of a data security incident.
Phishing attacks and fees / invoice fraud
We are continuing to see hackers using email phishing techniques (which only require one staff member to fall victim to a malicious link or attachment) to gain access to staff email accounts. While in theory the hackers then have access to all kinds of sensitive pupil data, our experience with this routine is that their primary interest is in defrauding parents over fees. Typically, they send out a message to some or all parent
Center for Safe & Resilient Schools and Workplaces cybersecurity rating report: https://www.rankiteo.com/company/safe-and-resilient
"id": "SAF1765217916",
"linkid": "safe-and-resilient",
"type": "Ransomware",
"date": "12/2025",
"severity": "75",
"impact": "2",
"explanation": "Attack limited on finance or reputation"{'incident': {'affected_entities': [{'customers_affected': 'parents, pupils, '
'staff',
'industry': 'education',
'location': None,
'name': None,
'size': None,
'type': 'schools'}],
'attack_vector': 'email phishing',
'data_breach': {'data_encryption': None,
'data_exfiltration': None,
'file_types_exposed': None,
'number_of_records_exposed': None,
'personally_identifiable_information': 'yes',
'sensitivity_of_data': 'high',
'type_of_data_compromised': ['sensitive pupil '
'data',
'parent '
'information']},
'description': 'Schools targeted by cyber criminals during '
'holiday periods, particularly through phishing '
'attacks and invoice fraud. Hackers exploit '
'limited staff availability and outdated software '
'to gain access to sensitive data, primarily '
'focusing on defrauding parents over fees.',
'impact': {'brand_reputation_impact': None,
'conversion_rate_impact': None,
'customer_complaints': None,
'data_compromised': 'sensitive pupil data, parent '
'information',
'downtime': None,
'financial_loss': 'fees/invoice fraud',
'identity_theft_risk': None,
'legal_liabilities': None,
'operational_impact': None,
'payment_information_risk': None,
'revenue_loss': None,
'systems_affected': None},
'initial_access_broker': {'backdoors_established': None,
'data_sold_on_dark_web': None,
'entry_point': 'phishing emails',
'high_value_targets': None,
'reconnaissance_period': None},
'lessons_learned': 'Schools must improve preparedness for cyber '
'incidents, especially during holiday periods '
'when staff availability is limited. Outdated '
'software and overworked staff increase '
'risks.',
'motivation': ['financial gain', 'data exploitation'],
'post_incident_analysis': {'corrective_actions': None,
'root_causes': ['outdated software',
'overworked staff',
'limited holiday '
'response times']},
'ransomware': {'data_encryption': None,
'data_exfiltration': None,
'ransom_demanded': None,
'ransom_paid': None,
'ransomware_strain': None},
'recommendations': 'Mitigate risks through updated software, '
'staff training, and robust incident response '
'plans. Prepare for holiday-period attacks by '
'ensuring adequate staffing and monitoring.',
'references': [{'date_accessed': None,
'source': 'Article on cyber risks in schools '
'(2025)',
'url': None}],
'regulatory_compliance': {'fines_imposed': None,
'legal_actions': None,
'regulations_violated': None,
'regulatory_notifications': None},
'response': {'adaptive_behavioral_waf': None,
'communication_strategy': None,
'containment_measures': None,
'enhanced_monitoring': None,
'incident_response_plan_activated': None,
'law_enforcement_notified': None,
'network_segmentation': None,
'on_demand_scrubbing_services': None,
'recovery_measures': None,
'remediation_measures': None,
'third_party_assistance': None},
'type': ['phishing', 'fraud'],
'vulnerability_exploited': 'outdated software, overworked staff, '
'limited holiday response times'}}