Cyber Attack Targets IT System Used by Schools in Northern Ireland Ahead of Exam Season

A cyber attack targeted an IT system used by schools across Northern Ireland, prompting the Education Authority (EA) to respond. On Thursday, schools were notified that the EA would conduct a password reset for all users as part of efforts to manage an IT security issue. The incident occurred ahead of the exam season, though no specific attack vector, threat actor, or technical details were disclosed. The EA confirmed the cyber attack but did not provide further information on data exposure or operational disruptions. The affected system supports multiple schools, but the exact number of impacted institutions was not specified.