Nearly 17,000 students hit by data leak at Hong Kong exams authority

The personal data of nearly 17,000 mainland Chinese-based students who applied to take two international exams through the Hong Kong Examinations and Assessment Authority (HKEAA) has been leaked after its information system was compromised.

The authority said the leaked data included the names, dates of birth and email addresses of about 16,900 students. It added that there was no evidence that the Hong Kong Diploma of Secondary Education Examination (HKDSE) or any other examinations had been affected.

“The HKEAA apologises to the affected individuals and will take all feasible measures to minimise the impact of the incident on them,” it said.