UK Department for Education hacked, 500,000 records reportedly exposed in major data breach

LONDON, United Kingdom — The UK Department for Education (DfE) has reportedly suffered a major cyberattack, with approximately 500,000 sensitive records stolen and later exposed on the dark web, according to The Times.

The stolen data reportedly includes the names and phone numbers of headteachers, university employees, and government officials. Authorities are investigating the scope of the breach and assessing its potential impact.

The incident has renewed concerns over cybersecurity within government systems and the protection of sensitive personal information. Critics say the breach highlights the risks of concentrating large amounts of personal data in centralized digital systems.

The reported attack comes just months after Nottingham University disclosed a separate cyberattack that resulted in the theft of large volumes of student data, raising broader concerns about the security of educational institutions across the United Kingdom.

The Department for Education has not yet released full details on how the breach occurred or whether additional categories of personal information were compromised.