Cyber attacks hit Louisiana schools ahead of year’s beginning

A wave of cyber attacks hit schools of Louisiana ahead of year’s beginning that is planned for the next week.

Several schools of Louisiana were targeted by hackers ahead of year’s beginning that is planned for the next week. The AP press states that a fourth Louisiana school district is assessing damages caused by a cyberattack that its computer network.

According to the Advocate media outlet, Tangipahoa Parish has become the latest victim in a series of cybersecurity attacks on Louisiana schools that prompted an emergency declaration and has officials scrambling to mitigate damage ahead of the school year starting next week.

Phone lines and email systems at Tangipahoa schools shut down, along with some offices, were shut down by cyber attacks on Monday.

“In a social media post Monday, Tangipahoa Parish schools Superintendent Melissa Stilley said officials had been on higher alert for cyber attacks in the last week, and this weekend discovered “activity” on the district’s network, though she did not specify the nature of those attacks.” states the Advocate.

“As a precautionary measure, Tangipahoa schools shut down phone lines and email at the central office, schools and registration center Monday.”

The schools of Louisiana were infected with malware or ransomware.

Three northern Louisiana school districts, Sabine, Morehouse and City of Monroe, suffered “severe, intentional cybersecurity breaches” last week that prompted Gov. John Bel Edwards to declare a state of emergency.

The good news is that some districts, including West Baton Rouge Parish, have implemented precautionary measures such as backing up electronic records to mitigate the attacks.

FBI and Department of Homeland Security are investigating the incidents searching for similitude in the cyber attacks. Similar incidents were reported in other southern states like Alabama and Georgia.

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Pierluigi Paganini

(SecurityAffairs – Louisiana schools, malware)

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