Hackers attempt to extort parents after school refuses to pay ransom fee

Cybercriminals gained access to the internal networks of OLV Pulhof secondary school in Antwerp after the Christmas break, claimed to be the LockBit group, and demanded €15,000. When the school refused to pay, the attackers shifted to directly extorting parents—asking €50 per child—and threatened to leak or sell sensitive student and staff data (including financial and mental health records). Authorities are investigating, and the report highlights inconsistencies with LockBit’s normal TTPs, suggesting a lower-skilled actor struggling to monetize access.