London — Metropolitan Police have arrested two 17-year-old boys in connection with a sophisticated cyber-attack targeting the Kido chain of nurseries in London. The pair were detained at residential addresses in Bishop’s Stortford, Hertfordshire, on suspicion of computer misuse and blackmail.
Ransomware and Stolen Data
The investigation began after the Metropolitan Police received a referral from the Action Fraud cyber crime reporting service on September 25, detailing a ransomware attack. Hackers are alleged to have stolen sensitive personal information for about 8,000 children, including their photographs, names, and addresses, along with contact details for their parents and carers. The awareness of the attack came on September 22 when a hacking group, calling themselves “Radiant,” attempted to gain press attention. The group sought to extort the nursery chain for a ransom of approximately ₹ 7.14 Crores ( in Bitcoin. To increase pressure, the hackers reportedly began posting images and profiles of some children on their darknet site on September 25, a move that cyber experts described as a “new low” in cybercrime. In an extreme measure, the hackers even called some parents directly to pressure Kido into paying the ransom to have the data deleted.
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A Turn in the Hacker’s Campaign
As the extortion campaign continued, the hackers, in an unusual development, blurred the images of the children they had posted, citing concerns about their reputation with other hacking groups. This change was followed by a more drastic move on October 2, when the group removed all stolen data and pictures from their darknet site. They claimed to have deleted all 8,000 children’s files, stating, “No more remains and this can comfort parents.” Despite this claim, the police investigation into the theft and attempted extortion continued.
Police Action and Nursery’s Response
The Metropolitan Police, led by its Economic and Cybercrime unit, emphasized the seriousness of the case. Will Lyne, Met’s Head of Economic and Cybercrime, acknowledged the impact of the incident, stating,
“We understand reports of this nature can cause considerable concern, especially to those parents and carers who may be worried about the impact of such an incident on them and their families.”
He called the arrests a “significant step forward” in the investigation. The two suspects remain in custody for questioning. A spokesperson for the Kido nursery chain welcomed the police action, calling it a “swift action” and an “important milestone.” The nursery confirmed it has cooperated fully with law enforcement and relevant authorities throughout the process, reiterating its commitment to supporting the police and, crucially, the affected families and the wider Kido community. The Met Police initially misstated one of the suspect’s ages as 22 but later clarified that the age is 17.
