Highline Public Schools in Washington State [5], specifically in King County, will remain closed for at least three days following a suspected cyberattack detected over the weekend.
Description
The closure on Wednesday [2], Sept 11 [2], is due to ongoing technology breach concerns [2], with all school activities [2] [4], athletics [1] [2] [4], and meetings canceled [1] [2] [4]. Efforts are underway to bring the affected systems back online quickly and securely so that schools can reopen [1] [2]. Student safety and well-being remain a top priority during this time [2]. The district [1] [2] [3] [4] [5], which serves over 17,500 students and 2,000 staff [5], is collaborating with third-party [3], state [2] [3] [5], and federal partners to investigate the cybersecurity issues. While no theft of personal data has been found [5], the district is facing challenges with essential digital systems for attendance and bus routes [3], as well as inconsistent classroom phones [3]. School administrators and staff are expected to report to work during the closure [4]. Corey Nachreiner [4], Chief Security Officer at WatchGuard [4], warns of the vulnerability of K-12 schools to cyber attacks and advises parents to freeze credit and use multi-factor authentication to protect their child’s information [4]. Cyber-attacks on schools [5], including ransomware attacks [3], are becoming increasingly common [5]. Experts recommend regular network patching and the implementation of multi-factor authentication to enhance cybersecurity in such cases. Updates on the investigation and system restoration will be provided as more information becomes available. For further inquiries or details on staff expectations during the closure [4], visit the Highline Public Schools website [4].
Conclusion
The closure of Highline Public Schools due to a suspected cyberattack highlights the growing threat of cybersecurity breaches in educational institutions. Efforts to restore systems and ensure student safety are ongoing, with collaboration from various partners. The incident underscores the importance of implementing robust cybersecurity measures, such as multi-factor authentication [4], to protect sensitive information. Moving forward, it is crucial for schools to prioritize cybersecurity to prevent future attacks and safeguard student data.
References
[1] https://www.yahoo.com/news/highline-public-schools-remain-closed-215345739.html
[2] https://whitecenterblog.com/2024/09/10/ongoing-technology-breach-causes-closure-of-all-highline-public-schools-for-third-straight-day-this-wednesday-sept-11/
[3] https://m.kuow.org/stories/highline-schools-to-be-closed-a-second-day-after-apparent-cyberattack
[4] https://www.fox13seattle.com/news/cyberattack-highline-schools-closed-tuesday
[5] https://www.infosecurity-magazine.com/news/highline-schools-cyberattack/
