UK Department for Education Hacked, 500,000 Records Reportedly Exposed in Major Data Breach
Officials said 607,000 records were exposed, and the department is repairing affected systems while working with regulators and law enforcement.
- On Wednesday, July 29, 2026, the UK Department for Education confirmed a cyberattack exposed 607,000 records, including names, job titles, and contact details of school leaders and officials, with a group called ExfilSquad claiming responsibility on the dark web.
- The breach disrupted the DfE help desk and the Turing Scheme portal, which manages international education placements and student records. Officials confirmed no financial information was accessed, limiting exposure to contact data.
- Cybersecurity adviser Jake Moore at European cybersecurity firm ESET warned that government agencies are "soft targets" for criminals. Data shows 24 per cent of further education institutions report weekly breaches, while more than half of schools face annual attacks.
- Investigative partners, including the National Cyber Security Centre and the National Crime Agency , are assisting the DfE investigation. Officials stated the risk to individuals is "not considered high," though the Information Commissioner's Office will independently assess compliance.
- Services are expected to resume normal operation later this week, though the DfE has not confirmed a precise timeline for the investigation's conclusion as partners continue assessing the full impact.
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Department for Education targeted in major cyber attack as 607,000 records leaked on dark web
Over 607,000 records have been leaked in a cyber attack on the Department for Education (DfE) in England. The data, which has been shared on the dark web, includes telephone numbers and email addresses relating to individuals and organisations.The figure represents the total number of records affected, not individuals.The DfE said it is working closely with the National Cyber Security Centre and the National Crime Agency (NCA) to investigate the…
Hackers Steal 607,000 Contact Records From Department for Education in England
The Department for Education (DfE) has confirmed a cyber-attack that saw hackers access around 607,000 records, with the stolen data including telephone numbers and email addresses linked to individuals and organisations. The department said no financial details were among the material accessed. Officials have stressed that the breach was identified and contained quickly, and that the overall risk to affected individuals is limited. Even so, the…
A group of hackers has stolen 607,000 data with sensitive information from the UK Department of Education (DfE) and posted them on the 'dark web', including full names, charges, phone numbers and e-mail addresses of thousands of U.K. workers. Victims have been directors of public schools, university staff, government officials and even outsiders who have had contact with the Department at some point. Also, the group of cybercriminals ExfilSquad …
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