The Nashua School District announced that classes would proceed as usual on Monday following a “sophisticated” cyberattack on Sunday. The district is collaborating with a third-party investigator to determine the extent and nature of the attack, and is working hard to recover its systems securely.
According to Gary Miliefsky, CEO of Cyber Defense Media Group, because the scope of the attack is unknown, parents, students, and staff should be mindful that any of their data or information may have been compromised.
Paula Johnson, a member of the Nashua School District Board of Education, stated that she had never heard of such an incident happening in the district and urged a return to paper records as a safer alternative. Johnson said that the cyberattacks, which are occurring not just in the medical and federal government sectors but also in school districts around the country, were concerning.
Miliefsky echoed Johnson’s remarks, calling for an investigation into the incident’s causes and consequences. The implications of the attack are not yet clear, and the district has yet to disclose what records or data, if any, may have been compromised.
In recent years, there have been a growing number of cyberattacks on schools and universities in the United States. Cybercriminals target schools because they contain a wealth of personal data and confidential information.
These attacks can have far-reaching consequences, such as putting student and faculty data at risk, disrupting the academic process, and harming the school’s reputation. As a result, school districts must prioritize cybersecurity to safeguard their systems and protect their students and staff from future cyberattacks.
