Unknown hacking group ExfilSquad claims simultaneous breaches of UK police database and education department

A previously unknown group called ExfilSquad claimed responsibility for breaches of the Police National Legal Database, hosted by West Yorkshire Police, and the Department for Education's help-desk portal, posting stolen data samples on its leak site and demanding payment from both. The PNLD breach exposed 135,000 records; the DfE breach compromised over 600,000 lines of parent and staff contacts. The Guardian reported on July 29, 2026, crediting The Times with first breaking the DfE story. The PNLD confirmed no victim, witness, or offender data was held in its compromised system. The DfE has issued no public statement.