Cyber-security firm Check Point described the targeting of nurseries as “an absolute new low”.
One of its experts Graeme Stewart said: “To deliberately put children and schools in the firing line, is indefensible. Frankly, it is appalling.”
Jonathon Ellison, from the National Cyber Security Centre described the hack as “deeply distressing”.
“Cyber criminals will target anyone if they think there is money to be made, and going after those who look after children is a particularly egregious act,” he said.
An employee said the nursery was asking parents not to speak to the media – though some have spoken to the BBC.
“It’s not ideal of course, we would rather they had been using some sort of encryption software,” said one parent, who asked to be referred to as Mary.
“The nursery told us very quickly.”
Mary said her family had received an email from the hackers, who told them what information had been taken.
“It was all very professional and well-written, no spelling mistakes or anything like that,” she said.
“My partner actually works in cyber-security and we understand these things happen.
“But we do feel the nursery has handled it well.”
And Bryony Wilde, who has one child at a Kido nursery in London, told the BBC the children whose data was taken were “completely innocent victims”.
“They are kids – their personal details shouldn’t be worth anything,” she said.
“You are probably prepared to go a little bit further to protect children’s privacy and personal details.”
The hacking group responsible for the claims appears to be relatively new and calls itself Radiant.
The cyber criminals contacted the BBC about the hack and have subsequently posted details of it to their darknet website.
It has published a sample of data there including pictures and profiles of 10 children from the stolen data set.
It has been published as part of their attempt to extort money from the nursery chain, which has its 18 nurseries mostly in the London area.
Police advise not to pay ransoms as it further fuels the cyber-crime ecosystem.
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