A major data leak affects gymnasiums and vocational schools in the canton of Vaud. An unauthorized person accessed their IT support platform and copied the names, first names and school email addresses of around 41,500 students and teachers, announced the State of Vaud in a press release, which informed all users.
The intrusion was detected on October 26. It also concerns the content of assistance requests sent to IT support. On the other hand, no password, no grade or no student record was stolen, authorities indicate.
Feared phishing attempts
They specify that the platform was immediately disconnected from the internet and secured. The incident was reported to the Federal Office for Cybersecurity as well as to the Vaud data protection authority. A criminal complaint must be filed.
The Canton warns of possible targeted phishing attempts that could result from this cyberattack. Students and teachers are advised to be wary of unusual or urgent emails, particularly messages pretending to be from their school or IT support. They are invited to report any suspicious messages. Investigations are continuing, the Canton of Vaud further informs.
