Bristol schools’ data breach exposes more than 320,000 files on dark web

Hackers stole more than 320,000 files from a Bristol schools’ platform and published them on the dark web, raising concerns about the exposure of children’s and staff members’ personal information. Bristol City Council is investigating the leak and has urged families to be alert to suspicious messages and unusual activity.

The breach affected 39 schools that relied on the Trading with Schools platform for tasks including lesson planning, staff records and payroll; 49 other schools used it only for internet services. Malicious software was detected on 21 September, and the council shut down the system four days later. The incident disrupted school operations, and police and cyber security specialists are helping assess what information was exposed.