Northern Ireland education network hit by cyberattack ahead of exams

The Education Authority, Northern Ireland’s public body responsible for education services, is working to restore school IT systems after a cyberattack on Thursday disrupted access for pupils and staff across the region during a critical exam preparation period.

The incident affected the C2K network, the centralized digital platform that provides online services, learning resources and account access to schools. The disruption prevented students from logging in to access coursework and revision materials in the lead-up to exams.

By Sunday, the Education Authority reported progress in restoring access, with recovery efforts focused initially on post-primary schools. Technical teams worked through the weekend to bring systems back online in a controlled and secure manner.

The authority initiated a full password reset across the network as an immediate security measure following the breach. Schools were notified on Thursday that all user credentials would be reset as part of efforts to manage the incident. An investigation into the attack is ongoing, and officials have not confirmed whether any personal data was compromised.

The Education Authority is coordinating its response with the Information Commissioner’s Office and other relevant authorities.

Some schools have begun regaining partial access. At Sullivan Upper School in Holywood, County Down, senior teaching and non-teaching staff were able to log back in on Sunday morning. School leadership is now overseeing a phased reset of passwords for all pupils and staff, organized by year group.

The school plans to open on Easter Monday for students in Years 11 through 14 who are preparing for exams, with staff available on-site during the morning to assist with password resets. Access for younger students is expected to be restored after the Easter break.

The disruption has raised concerns about the impact on exam readiness. At Methodist College Belfast, more than 800 pupils are scheduled to sit GCSE, AS and A-Level exams shortly after the holidays. School leadership highlighted the reliance on the C2K system for accessing coursework and study materials.

Students have also reported setbacks in their revision plans. At Lumen Christi College in Londonderry, pupils described difficulties accessing essential resources during a period typically used for intensive study.

Lawmakers have emphasized the need for clarity on the scope of the breach. The chair of Stormont’s education committee, Nick Mathison, stated that determining whether personal data was affected remains a top priority and called for timely communication and guidance for those potentially impacted.