10/02/2023

LGfL’s Cybercloud security defence system is continuing to successfully defend Schools against the biggest Cyber attacks ever made in UK Education and is currently among the top 5 experienced globally. We are continuing to rapidly evolve our defences to ensure no disruption or impact on the education of children. 

08/02/2023

There are continuing and multiple cyberattacks on schools. LGfL has agreed with JANET a number of emergency measures to protect schools further. Following the implementation of those measures I’m pleased that LGfL’s cloud security service – Cybercloud – is mitigating these attacks now and the attacks are not disrupting schools. The LGfL Cybercloud service is currently effective. 

Don’t forget to bookmark https://cybernews.lgfl.net for future updates.

07/02/2023

There are a concerted series of Cyberattacks being launched against schools currently. Those attacks are massive, deliberate and targeted at a very small number of schools. We identified that one school, in particular, is the primary target of attacks in recent days.

Please be assured that within minutes LGfL, Adept and JANET (Joint Academic Network) are mitigating the attacks and protecting schools at a massive scale. These protections form part of LGfL’s multi layered defensive security shield for schools called Cybercloud which forms a core part of your broadband service. However, the Cyberattacks, until fully remediated are causing intermittent issues with internet access.

Whilst current issues are unwelcome, LGfL’s Cybercloud is holding its own and protecting schools against an almost FIVE-FOLD increase in DDoS attacks compared with the same period as last year.

IMMEDIATE STEPS

An urgent series of high level meetings has taken place and the following activities are underway:-

• Within the last 48 hours further layers of defence and protection have been added to LGfL’s network by JANET;

• Within the last hour further steps have been taken to evolve our defences and security perimeter; and

• Additional measures are being urgently considered with our partners.

Given the disproportionate impact of these attacks, LGfL is left with no alternative but to restrict access to the internet at schools that are the root cause or source of the disruption. Please be assured this will only apply to 1 or 2 schools at any one time across the thousands we support.

For the 1 or 2 sites that we may have to restrict access to, the full backing of LGfL, Adept and Janet will be applied to support the school to remediate and resolve the source of the attack.

FURTHER STEPS

A wider engagement by LGfL with all schools regarding security activities will be happening. We need to do this as it is clear that there is a heightened level of risk of cyberattacks on schools and we want to do everything we can to protect you.

LGfL will announce further developments and actions over the next week along with updates to this Support Site Notice.

Please be assured LGfL, Adept and JANET are doing all we can and will continue to do so.