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<p>The Department does not hold a comprehensive list of ransomware attacks on schools or colleges in each Local Authority in each of the last three years.</p><p>It is the responsibility of academy trusts to be aware of the risk of cybercrime, put in place proportionate controls and take appropriate action where a cyber security incident has occurred. The Education and Skills Funding Agency (ESFA) supports the National Crime Agency’s recommendation not to encourage, endorse, or condone the payment of ransom demands.</p><p>To support schools, the Department released Cyber Security Standards in October 2022. These standards provide a base level requirement for good cyber security practices in schools, helping to raise resilience across the sector and make schools harder targets. Many of the areas suggested for improvement are low cost or free to implement.</p><p>Additionally, the National Cyber Security Centre’s Cyber Security for Schools web page provides practical resources, including training and guidance, on how schools can avoid cyber security threats. The web page can be found here: <a href="https://www.ncsc.gov.uk/section/education-skills/cyber-security-schools" target="_blank">https://www.ncsc.gov.uk/section/education-skills/cyber-security-schools</a>.</p> |