NDNA Response to the Kido Nurseries cyberattack
The early years sector and beyond has been shocked by last week’s cyberattack on Kido international nurseries which has 18 settings in London alone.
Cyber criminals hacked into Kido’s system and started releasing details about their children on the dark web – threatening to release all 8,000 children’s details if they didn’t get paid.
NDNA has been fielding queries from members and also giving interviews to the press and media, including BBC News and LBC radio.
Purnima Tanuku CBE, Executive Chair of National Day Nurseries Association (NDNA) said: “This attack on young children and their families is utterly reprehensible, breaching all reasonable safeguards. Our hearts go out to all the parents and nursery staff who have been affected, this must be extremely worrying for them.
“Unfortunately because nurseries are obliged to carry a lot of data on the children they care for, they have to be especially vigilant. Most nurseries are small and medium-sized family businesses and aren’t all able to invest in sophisticated IT systems. They must be supported to be able to combat attacks like this one.
“This increased risk highlights the need for proper funding for nurseries so they can keep all our children safe.”
The National Cyber Security Centre gives this helpful advice for businesses of different sizes:
The DfE said that a local authority would be a nursery’s first point of contact in the event of a similar attack.
They point towards the guidance in the EYFS for nurseries in England:
Confidential information and records about staff and children must be held securely and only accessible and available to those who have a right or professional need to see them. Providers must be aware of their responsibilities under the Data Protection legislation and, where relevant, the Freedom of Information Act 2000.
Providers must ensure that all staff understand the need to protect the privacy of the children in their care, as well the legal requirements that exist to ensure that information relating to the child is handled in a way that ensures confidentiality.
Nurseries in Scotland could check these links for helpful advice https://www.cyberscotland.com/advice-and-guidance/
https://www.cyberscotland.com/advice-and-guidance/
Here’s advice for nurseries in Wales on the hwb https://www.ncsc.gov.uk/guidance/early-years-practitioners-using-cyber-security-to-protect-your-settings
NDNA is seeking more in depth advice from our corporate partners regarding how to reduce the chances of a cyberattack, insurance and other considerations. We are also arranging an urgent member webinar with key experts to discuss the situation and how you can protect your nursery.
Here’s our latest blog on cyberattacks which may be helpful in the meantime https://ndna.org.uk/blog/cyber-security-what-you-need-to-know-about-protecting-your-organisation/
- early years
- NDNA
- nurseries
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