TEST Valley pupils and school staff are among thousands who have had their private data leaked online.
Documents, containing confidential items, from 14 different schools have been leaked online by hackers. Among the schools named is Test Valley School in Stockbridge.
It is believed the schools have been targeted by a hacking group called Vice Society.
The Vice Society has been behind a high-profile string of attacks on schools across the UK and the USA in recent months.
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When data is stolen, Vice Society makes demands for money before leaking the documents if payment is not made.
The documents, seen by the BBC, include children's SEN information, child passport scans, staff pay scales and contract details, taken in 2021 and 2022.
The Advertiser has been informed by executive headteacher Jo McKeown, of Test Valley School, that she is working closely with the local authority and keeping parents and carers updated.
Ms McKeown did not comment further on the situation.
Other schools hit in the attack included Pates Grammar School in Gloucestershire; The De Montfort School in Evesham; Pilton Community College, in Barnstaple; and the School of Oriental and African Studies in London.
The School of Oriental and African Studies confirmed it was hacked in September 2022, with staff contracts and budget details leaked among some 18,680 other files.
A school spokesperson said: "We notified staff and students of the incident, and while we were able to prevent the incident escalating, it resulted in a small, limited data breach of files on internal storage.
"The individuals affected have been contacted, and we are continuing to offer support as required."
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Hackers leaked the information on the dark web, a section of the internet often used by criminals.
The dark web is not indexed on regular search engines and requires specialist browsing software to access it.
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