June 29, 2026: The Education Authority Northern Ireland (EA) told parents at 23 schools—including 16 not previously notified—that forensic analysis of April's C2k school IT cyberattack found a possibility children's personal data was accessed. The centralized network serves roughly 300,000 pupils and 20,000 teachers.
What happened
In early April 2026, a cyberattack compromised the C2k network that most Northern Ireland schools rely on for coursework, teaching materials, exam revision tools, and communications—disrupting services ahead of exam season. Computing reported widespread outages affecting hundreds of thousands of users; EA initially could not confirm whether personal data was stolen.
By April 15, EA confirmed a targeted attack on a small number of systems while restoration progressed. On June 29, DataBreaches.net summarized updated parent letters stating that while there was initially no evidence a given school was involved, further forensic work established that child personal data may have been accessed during the unlawful incident.
What data was exposed
EA has not published a final inventory of compromised data categories or a total pupil count. Parent notifications reference children's personal data without specifying fields. Investigations remain ongoing with regulators.
Who is at risk
- Parents at the 23 schools that received June 2026 update letters
- Broader C2k user base (~300,000 pupils) pending EA's final scope determination
- School staff whose accounts were on the compromised platform
Action items
- Parents who received EA letters: Follow EA guidance; monitor for phishing referencing school accounts or exam materials.
- All C2k users: Reset passwords through official EA/school channels only—not links in unsolicited email.
- Watch for scams impersonating EA, exam boards, or school IT support.
Canonical record: Northern Ireland EA C2k 2026 on BreachHistory.
Sources: EA cyber update, DataBreaches.net, BBC