Deaf Academy supporters warned after cyber attack
Names, addresses and donation records are among the details potentially involved in a breach of a widely used charity database
People linked to the Deaf Academy have been warned that their personal information may have been downloaded during a cyber-security breach.
The Exmouth-based academy has contacted supporters and others whose details are stored on Beacon, a customer relationship management system used by around 1,500 charities and not-for-profit organisations.
Beacon informed the academy on August 3 that an unauthorised third party had gained access to its systems. Copies of customer database backups were made and are believed to have been downloaded.
Information potentially affected includes names, email addresses, postal addresses, donation records and Gift Aid details. The information held varies depending on how each person has interacted with the academy.
The Deaf Academy stressed that payment card and bank details are not stored on Beacon. Student education, residential care and legal records are also held elsewhere and were not involved.
There is currently no evidence that any of the downloaded information has been accessed or misused. However, neither Beacon nor the academy can identify exactly which individual records may have been viewed or taken.
Those potentially affected have been urged to remain alert to phishing messages, impersonation and attempted fraud, particularly communications claiming to be from the Deaf Academy, the Royal Deaf Education Trust or an organisation connected to a donation or event.
People should check senders’ email addresses carefully and avoid responding to unexpected requests for passwords, financial information or other personal details.
The academy has reported the incident to the Information Commissioner’s Office, reviewed the information stored in its Beacon account and secured connected integrations and access credentials.
Beacon said it had contained the breach and was continuing to investigate with external cyber-security specialists.
Sylvan Dewing, principal and chief executive of the Deaf Academy, said: “We are very sorry that this has happened and for any concern it may cause.”
Anyone receiving a suspicious communication claiming to come from the academy can email [email protected].