Groveport Madison schools still have no internet service nearly a week after a computer hack forced officials to shut down the entire system.
Since the Dec. 5 incident, teachers have been instructing the district’s 6,000 students the old-fashioned way, with books and paper.
The ransomware group BlackSuit hacked into security camera and printers at Groveport Madison High School on that date, schools spokeswoman Kaitlin Duncan said on Monday.
Teachers also received notifications from BlackSuit that the computer firewall was vulnerable, Duncan said.
“They’re just a company that goes in and hacks people and systems. That’s just what they do,” she said.
So the school district’s IT staff was notified, and Groveport Madison shut down the internet for the entire district.
The district is still working on fixing the breach, which might not be done by Friday when the district begins its winter break. Students return on Jan. 3.
“We still have no internet. We’re still dealing with this,” Duncan said.
“From what we understand from federal agents, this could take weeks or this could be months,” she said. District officials have been talking with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and the FBI, she said.
In the meantime, “Our school teachers are pulling out books and papers,” Duncan said.
Todd Lindgren, spokesman for the FBI’s Cincinnati office, said in an email that he is checking to confirm the agency’s cyber squad involvement in the Groveport Madison matter.
“Chances are we will not be able to provide any additional information at this time due to our policies,” he said.
@MarkFerenchik
Tyler Fields is your internet guru, delving into the latest trends, developments, and issues shaping the online world. With a focus on internet culture, cybersecurity, and emerging technologies, Tyler keeps readers informed about the dynamic landscape of the internet and its impact on our digital lives.
