Uvalde CISD Cyberattack Update: District Says No Data Was Breached

[johny899]

On September 13, the Uvalde Consolidated Independent School District (CISD) was startled by a considerable scare. Hackers launched a ransomware attack, shutting down many systems. But here is the good news: the district has confirmed no student or staff data was compromised. Let’s review the details.

What Happened​

As a result of the attack, a number of problems arose:

• The internet and phones ceased to function;
• Heating and cooling (HVAC) systems shut down;
• Building security systems were offline.

Schools even had to cancel classes for a few days. Teachers and staff had to resort to using their own personal cell phones to call parents and many of the calls appeared as “No Caller ID.”

What the District Says​

The district verified everything through the assistance of professionals. They reported:

• There is no evidence of data theft, and
• No ransom was paid, and backups allowed the district to restore the systems.
• Staff were not at fault, and the attack was not caused by a human error of any employee.

Officials also indicated that an investigation would be continuing, just to be sure.

Why It Matters​

You might ask yourself, “If no data has been stolen, what's the big deal?” think about it:

• Schools maintain sensitive content such as students’ personal information and employees’ PII (Personally Identifiable Information).

• The data could damage family trust and parents' relationship with the district.

• And even if things are seemingly fine at the moment, sometimes hackers will disclose data months later.

My Thoughts​

This is good news for the District, yet I would still have caution. Cyber criminals work in rather sneaky manners and sometimes challenge us with vying threats later on. Particularly, if I had a child in this district I would want periodic updates and clear communication about any new approaches to safety--to help justify everyone's peace of mind.

Brief Summary​

• Date of the attack: September 13.
• Systems affected: Internet, phones, HVAC, security.
• Resolution: Backups were used to restore systems; no ransom was paid.
• Outcome so far: No data stolen, no employees to blame.
• Next steps: Investigation still ongoing.

So it's looking like perhaps only the technical systems were harmed - and not the personally identifiable information. That's good news, but we will have to wait to see if anything new arises later.