The Department for Education (DfE) has confirmed it was the victim of a cyber attack in which around 500,000 pieces of sensitive customer service data were stolen. The government department said the breach involved customer service contact details relating to individuals and organisations, stressing that no other information had been accessed.

Swift Action Taken

In a statement, the Department for Education said it acted quickly to contain the incident. A spokesperson said:

“We have robust processes in place to protect information and took swift action to contain this incident.

“The information involved is limited to customer service contact details relating to individuals and organisations. No other data has been accessed.”

The department has not disclosed exactly when the cyber attack took place or how the attackers gained access to the information.

National Investigation Underway

The DfE said it is continuing to investigate the incident in partnership with the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) and the National Crime Agency (NCA). The spokesperson added:

“We continue to work closely with the National Cyber Security Centre and the National Crime Agency, and remain in contact with those affected.”

No Further Details Released

Officials have not identified those believed to be behind the cyber attack, nor have they confirmed whether the stolen data has been published or used maliciously. The department maintains that the breach is limited to customer service contact details and that no other departmental or personal data has been compromised. Investigations into the incident remain ongoing.