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List of 2020 cyberattacks on U.S. schools

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Ransomware - an example of a locked computer screen

List of cyberattacks on schools From 2016 to 2019 there have been 855 cyberattacks on US school districts. Microsoft Security Intelligence has said there are more attacks on schools and school districts than any other industry.[1] There were 348 reported cyberattacks on school districts in 2019. School districts were allocating millions of dollars for their computer systems to support virtual learning in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.[2] The Miami Dade Public Schools invested in a $15.3 million online learning system. In 2020 their system was hacked with a Denial of Service Cyber attack.[3]

The two main types of cyberattacks on schools are distributed denial of service (Ddos) - an attack which overwhelms the target's internet bandwidth, and ransomware - where the hacker takes control of the target's computer system and demands money.[4] In 2020, because of reliance on distance learning, schools braced for cyberattacks.[5] The average cost for organizations that do not pay the ransomware demands was $730,000.[6]

Legislation

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US Representative Josh Harder introduced a bill in congress entitled: Protecting Students from Cybercrimes Act.[7] The bill's goal is to give schools $25 million in grants to implement cyber security.[8] In 2019 US Senators Gary Peters and Rick Scott also authored a bill to safeguard school computer systems, The K-12 Cybersecurity Act.[9]

Affected schools

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  • Allegheny County Schools (NC) ransomware attack[10]
  • Athens Independent School District (Texas) ransomware attack[11]
  • Burke County Public Schools (NC) ransomeware attack[10]
  • Baugo Community Schools (Indiana) cyberattack[12]
  • Conejo Valley Unified school district (California) DDoS[13]
  • Cherry Hill School District Philadelphia malware attack[14]
  • Gadsden Independent School District (Sunland Park NM) ransomware attack[15]
  • Hartford Public Schools ransomware attack[16]
  • Hamden school district (Connecticut) malware attack[17]
  • Haywood County Schools ransomeware attack[10]
  • Humble Independent School District (Texas) DDoS attack[18]
  • Huntington Beach Unified High School District (California) ransomeware attack
  • Jackson Public School District (Mississippi) malware attack[19]
  • Jay Public School District (Oklahoma) virus[20]
  • King George County Schools ransomware attack[21]
  • Lumberton Township Public Schools in Burlington County (New Jersey) Zoom malicious pornographic intrusion[22]
  • Madison Public Schools (Connecticut) Zoombombing attack[23]
  • Miami-Dade Public Schools System cyberattack[3]
  • Mitchell County Schools (North Carolina) ransomware attack[10]
  • The Mountain View-Los Altos High School District (California) ransomware attack[24]
  • Community School Corporation of New Palestine Indiana (DDoS) cyberattack[25]
  • Penncrest School District (Pennsylvania) ransomware attack (paid $10,000)[26]
  • Pittsburg Unified School District of Pennsylvania ransomeware attack[27]
  • Ponca City Public Schools (Oklahoma) ransomware attack[28]
  • Richmond school district (Michigan) ransomware attack[29]
  • Surry County Schools ransomeware attack[10]
  • South Adams Schools (Indiana) ransomware attack[30]
  • Southern Hancock School District (Indiana) DDoS attack[31]
  • St. Landry Parish schools (Louisiana) malware attack[32]
  • Toledo Public School district (Ohio) cyberattack[33]
  • Ventura Unified school district (California) DDoS[13]

Colleges

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  • Capital University Law School in (Columbus, Ohio)[34]
  • Columbia College Chicago ransomware attack[35]
  • Michigan State University ransomware attack[35]
  • New Mexico State University and the school's foundation virus[36]
  • Regis University (Denver Colorado) ransomware attack paid ransom.[37]
  • University of California at San Francisco School of Medicine ransomware attack paid 1.14 million[38]
  • University of New Mexico School of Law (Albuquerque, New Mexico)[34]
  • Wallace State Community College (Alabama) virus[39]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ Castelo1, Micah (17 June 2020). "Cyberattacks Increasingly Threaten Schools — Here's What to Know". Ed Tech. Retrieved 8 September 2020.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  2. ^ Ayres, Sabra (27 July 2020). "Zoom Bombing and Data Breaches: As Classrooms Go Back Online, Will Hackers Find Opportunities?". Charter Communications. Spectrum News. Retrieved 8 September 2020.
  3. ^ a b Vela, Hatzel (2 September 2020). "Questions swirl around $15.3 million contract for the K-12 platform". Local 10. Retrieved 6 September 2020.
  4. ^ Kronk, Henry (17 August 2020). "Cyberattacks Across the U.S. are Shutting Down Schools and Delaying Classes". eLearningInside.com. Retrieved 8 September 2020.
  5. ^ DeChiaro, Dean (8 September 2020). "Schools unprepared for likely rash of cyberattacks, warn security experts". Rollcall. Retrieved 9 September 2020.
  6. ^ Kobialka, Dan (3 August 2020). "Ransomware Attack Payments:Texas School District, US Travel Firm Pay Cyber Extortion". MSSP Alert and After Nines Inc. Retrieved 9 September 2020.
  7. ^ Harder, Josh (19 June 2020). "Bill Would Help Local Schools Harden Networks Against Criminal Attacks". harder.house.gov. Retrieved 9 September 2020.
  8. ^ "Federal Bill Aims to Harden Schools Against Cyberattacks". Government Technology. 25 June 2020. Retrieved 9 September 2020.
  9. ^ Miller, Maggie (16 December 2019). "Senators introduce legislation to protect schools against cyberattacks". The Hill. Retrieved 9 September 2020.
  10. ^ a b c d e Gordon, Brian (28 August 2020). "Rise of ransomware attacks on NC schools hinder virtual learning". USA Today Network. Retrieved 8 September 2020.
  11. ^ Wellerman, Zak (29 July 2020). "Athens ISD pays $50,000 after cyber attack, delays start of school". The Morning Telegraph. Retrieved 9 September 2020.
  12. ^ "Baugo Community Schools dealing with cyber attack". A Gray Media Group, Inc. 16 News Now. 20 August 2020. Retrieved 9 September 2020.
  13. ^ a b Patel, Shivani (4 September 2020). "Two Ventura County school districts affected by cyber attack Friday morning". Ventura County Star. Retrieved 9 September 2020.
  14. ^ Klein, Alyson (17 March 2020). "Cyberattacks Force Schools to Bolster Online Security". Editorial Projects in Education. Retrieved 9 September 2020.
  15. ^ D'Ammassa, Algernon (28 February 2020). "2 Doña Ana County school districts recovering from ransomware as threats increase". Las Cruces Sun News. Retrieved 9 September 2020.
  16. ^ Burke, Minyvonne (8 September 2020). "Hartford Public Schools postpone first day of classes following ransomware attack". NBC News. Retrieved 8 September 2020.
  17. ^ Gurwitt, Sam (15 January 2020). "Hamden BOE Computer Virus: "Malware"". New Haven Independent. Retrieved 9 September 2020.
  18. ^ Ponder, Erica (11 August 2020). "Humble ISD experiences cyber attack during first day of virtual learning". Grahm Media Group. Click 2 Houston. Retrieved 9 September 2020.
  19. ^ Foxx, Keegan (20 February 2020). "JPS victim of cyberattack". Hearst Television Inc. WAPT 16. Retrieved 9 September 2020.
  20. ^ "Jay schools working to recover from cyber attack". KSN News. 12 March 2020. Retrieved 9 September 2020.
  21. ^ Dyson, Cathy (3 September 2020). "King George schools shut down by apparent cyberattack". Fredericksburg.com. The Freelance Star. Retrieved 8 September 2020.
  22. ^ Coble, Sarah (3 April 2020). "US School District Drops Zoom After Porn Disrupts Lesson". Reed Exhibitions Ltd. Info Security Magazine. Retrieved 9 September 2020.
  23. ^ "Teen Arrested After 'Zoom Bombing' High School Classes". U.S. News & World Report. Associated Press. 8 April 2020.
  24. ^ Forestieri, Kevin (31 January 2020). "Cyber attack takes down high school district's server and phone system". Mountain View Voice. Retrieved 9 September 2020.
  25. ^ "Cyberattack shuts down e-learning for two days in New Palestine". WTHR NBC. 7 August 2020. Retrieved 8 September 2020.
  26. ^ Crowley, Mike (11 April 2020). "Penncrest officials: Cyber-attack in February has been resolved". Meadville Tribune. Retrieved 9 September 2020.
  27. ^ "Cyber-Attack Makes Pennsylvania Students Learn "Old School" Style". Reed Exhibitions Ltd. Info Security Magazine. 10 January 2020. Retrieved 9 September 2020.
  28. ^ "Ponca City Public Schools Delays Start Of School". News 9. 16 August 2020. Retrieved 8 September 2020.
  29. ^ Witsil, Frank (2 January 2020). "Richmond school district shuts down in ransomware cyberattack". Detroit Free Press. Retrieved 9 September 2020.
  30. ^ "South Adams Schools hit with ransomware cyber-attack". Wane 15 Local. 20 February 2020. Retrieved 9 September 2020.
  31. ^ Deer, Kristy (5 August 2020). "Southern Hancock schools under cyber attack". Daily Reporter. Retrieved 9 September 2020.
  32. ^ Ardoin, Bobby (16 January 2020). "State steps in to help St. Landry Parish schools after cyber attack shut down computers". Daily World. Retrieved 9 September 2020.
  33. ^ Kirby, Caylee (8 September 2020). "TPS: Virtual learning will follow schedule after cyberattack causes internet problems for online lessons". WTOL 11. Retrieved 9 September 2020.
  34. ^ a b McPherson, Janelle (2 September 2020). "Capital and U New Mexico hit by cyberattacks prior to fall classes". Cypress Magazines. National Jurist. Retrieved 9 September 2020.
  35. ^ a b McKenzie, Lindsay (11 June 2020). "Cyberextortion Threat Evolves". Inside Higher Ed. Retrieved 9 September 2020.
  36. ^ "NMSU Investigates Cyberattack on University Foundation". U.S. News & World Report. Associated Press. 29 June 2020. Retrieved 9 September 2020.
  37. ^ Hernandez, Elizabeth (28 January 2020). "Denver's Regis University paid ransom to "malicious actors" behind campus cyberattack". The Denver Post. Retrieved 9 September 2020.
  38. ^ "UCSF Medical School Officials Pay Hackers $1.14 Million Ransom To Recover Stolen Data". CBS Local. 28 June 2020. Retrieved 9 September 2020.
  39. ^ "Cyber attack on Wallace State Community College Delays the Start of Classes". WAAY 31. 4 January 2020. Retrieved 9 September 2020.
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