St. Anne’s Catholic School Hit by Ransomware Attack, Forced to Close for Four Days
St. Anne’s Catholic School in Southampton was forced to close for four days following a ransomware attack on its IT systems. The school’s IT team acted swiftly to contain the breach, preventing further spread, and reported the incident to the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO), the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC), and local police.
Headteacher Julian Waterfield confirmed that the school would reopen on Friday, stating there was currently "no evidence that any data has been compromised." However, he added that if the situation changed, affected individuals would be notified immediately. Parents were informed of the attack via a message on Sunday, with the school expressing gratitude for their support during the disruption.
The NCSC provided guidance to the school following the incident, while the ICO acknowledged receiving the report and is assessing the details. The attack highlights the growing threat of ransomware targeting educational institutions, disrupting operations and raising concerns over data security.
Source: https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cm2r9m12e17o
St. Anne Catholic School cybersecurity rating report: https://www.rankiteo.com/company/st.-anne-catholic-school
"id": "ST.1774549425",
"linkid": "st.-anne-catholic-school",
"type": "Ransomware",
"date": "3/2026",
"severity": "50",
"impact": "1",
"explanation": "Attack without any consequences"{'affected_entities': [{'customers_affected': 'Students, parents, and staff',
'industry': 'Education',
'location': 'Southampton, UK',
'name': 'St. Anne’s Catholic School',
'type': 'Educational Institution'}],
'customer_advisories': 'Parents informed via message',
'data_breach': {'data_encryption': 'Yes (ransomware-related)'},
'description': 'St. Anne’s Catholic School in Southampton was forced to close '
'for four days following a ransomware attack on its IT '
'systems. The school’s IT team acted swiftly to contain the '
'breach, preventing further spread, and reported the incident '
'to the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO), the National '
'Cyber Security Centre (NCSC), and local police.',
'impact': {'data_compromised': 'No evidence of data compromise (as of current '
'investigation)',
'downtime': '4 days',
'operational_impact': 'School closure',
'systems_affected': 'IT systems'},
'investigation_status': 'Ongoing',
'ransomware': {'data_encryption': 'Yes'},
'references': [{'source': 'School announcement'}],
'regulatory_compliance': {'regulatory_notifications': 'Reported to ICO and '
'NCSC'},
'response': {'communication_strategy': 'Parent notification via message',
'containment_measures': 'Swift action to prevent further spread',
'incident_response_plan_activated': 'Yes',
'law_enforcement_notified': 'Yes (local police)',
'third_party_assistance': 'NCSC guidance'},
'title': 'St. Anne’s Catholic School Ransomware Attack',
'type': 'Ransomware'}