In recent years, there has been a notable increase in cyberattacks targeting K-12 schools, causing disruptions to educational activities and school operations while posing risks to the personal data of students, families, and staff members.
A recent cyberattack occurred in Southern California, targeting the Glendale Unified School District. As a precautionary measure, officials advised students and staff to refrain from using district-issued laptops and Chromebooks while IT teams worked to resolve the ransomware affecting their systems.
Similarly, the Los Angeles Unified School District had to disable all computer systems for several weeks following a cyberattack that compromised approximately 2,000 student assessment records and disclosed positive COVID test results.
Additionally, data from the Long Beach Unified School District was unlawfully accessed by a hacker who subsequently posted it online. The breach involved a list containing student identification numbers, names, and their corresponding LBUSD-provided email addresses.
TPRM report: https://scoringcyber.rankiteo.com/company/los-angeles-unified-school-district
"id": "los21264224",
"linkid": "los-angeles-unified-school-district",
"type": "Breach",
"date": "12/2023",
"severity": "100",
"impact": "4",
"explanation": "Attack with significant impact with customers data leaks"
{'affected_entities': [{'industry': 'Education',
'location': 'Southern California',
'name': 'Glendale Unified School District',
'type': 'Educational Institution'},
{'industry': 'Education',
'location': 'Southern California',
'name': 'Los Angeles Unified School District',
'type': 'Educational Institution'},
{'industry': 'Education',
'location': 'Southern California',
'name': 'Long Beach Unified School District',
'type': 'Educational Institution'}],
'data_breach': {'number_of_records_exposed': ['2,000 student assessment '
'records'],
'personally_identifiable_information': True,
'type_of_data_compromised': ['student assessment records',
'COVID test results',
'student identification numbers',
'names',
'email addresses']},
'description': 'Multiple cyberattacks targeting K-12 schools in Southern '
'California, including Glendale Unified School District, Los '
'Angeles Unified School District, and Long Beach Unified '
'School District, leading to disruptions and data breaches.',
'impact': {'data_compromised': ['student assessment records',
'COVID test results',
'student identification numbers',
'names',
'email addresses'],
'downtime': ['several weeks'],
'systems_affected': ['district-issued laptops', 'Chromebooks']},
'response': {'containment_measures': ['advised students and staff to refrain '
'from using district-issued laptops and '
'Chromebooks']},
'title': 'Cyberattacks on K-12 Schools in Southern California',
'type': ['ransomware', 'data breach']}