Newcomb Secondary College Listed by avaddon Ransomware Group: Ransomware Claim — What’s Alleged & What To Do

On September 9, 2021, Newcomb Secondary College was listed on a site operated by the avaddon ransomware group. The group claims to have taken internal files during a ransomware attack, though the number of people affected and the precise contents of any files remain undisclosed. The incident raises direct questions for students, staff and families connected to the college, as any release of internal records could affect privacy and daily administrative functions long after the initial event.

Inside the incident

The only confirmed public detail is the September 2021 listing on the avaddon site. No information has been released about the date of the underlying attack, the method of intrusion, the volume of data taken or whether any ransom demands were issued or met. The group claims exfiltration of internal files occurred, but independent confirmation of that claim has not been made public.

Who is avaddon?

Avaddon is a ransomware operation that first appeared in mid-2020 and uses a double-extortion model. After encrypting systems, the group copies data and threatens public release unless payment is received. It maintains a leak site to list victims and has targeted organisations across multiple countries and sectors. Public reporting has documented similar listings involving schools, local government and private companies, though each case requires separate verification.

About Newcomb Secondary College

Newcomb Secondary College is a government secondary school in the Geelong region of Victoria, Australia. Like other public schools, it maintains records on current and former students, parents and staff to support enrolment, attendance, welfare and curriculum delivery. Such organisations routinely handle personal and sensitive information as part of routine operations.

What data was at risk

The listing refers only to “internal files.” No inventory of file types or data categories has been published. Educational institutions of this kind commonly store names, addresses, dates of birth, parent or guardian contact details, academic records and limited health or welfare notes. The exact scope for this incident is unconfirmed.

What's at stake

Unauthorised release of school records can lead to privacy intrusions for students and families, potential misuse of contact information and administrative disruption for the college while systems are restored. Because the number of records involved is unknown, the scale of any downstream effects cannot yet be assessed.

What to do if you're exposed

Individuals connected to the college can take the following steps:

• Watch official communications from Newcomb Secondary College for any further updates on the incident.
• Review bank, email and government service accounts for unusual activity and enable multi-factor authentication where available.
• Run a free exposure scan of their email address against known breach data to check for appearances in public listings.

AICompiled with AI assistance from public sources and published under our editorial standards.