Warning over British students hacking their own schools
More than half of cyber attacks on UK schools are caused by students hacking into their own school’s computer systems.
This is according to the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO), which has warned that this ‘worrying pattern’ of behaviour could lead many children into a life of cyber crime.
The regulator examined 215 data breach reports caused by insider attacks from the education sector and found that 57% were caused by students.
These attacks are most often not the result of children breaking directly through security systems but rather simply exploiting poor security practices on the part of schools.
For example, almost a third of insider attack incidents were caused by students guessing weak passwords or finding them jotted down on bits of paper.
The ICO cited a report from the National Crime Agency (NCA) that found one in five children aged 10 to 16 has engaged in illegal activity online.
It said teen hackers are most commonly English-speaking males, and the reasons they cite for their behaviour include notoriety, financial gain, revenge, and dares.
“Whilst education settings are experiencing large numbers of cyber attacks, there is still growing evidence that ‘insider threat’ is poorly understood, largely unremedied and can lead to future risk of harm and criminality,” said ICO Principal Cyber Specialist Heather Toomey.
“What starts out as a dare, a challenge, a bit of fun in a school setting can ultimately lead to children taking part in damaging attacks on organisations or critical infrastructure.”
“It’s important that we understand the next generation’s interests and motivations in the online world to ensure children remain on the right side of the law and progress into rewarding careers in a sector in constant need of specialists,” she said.
The ICO encouraged parents to have regular conversations with their children about their online activity and discuss the choices they are making.
It said that what a young person might perceive as a bit of fun could turn into illegal and harmful activity with far-reaching consequences.
