Student information stolen in cyberattack, says Burnaby school district

Public school officials in Burnaby, British Columbia, are reporting that hackers may have obtained sensitive student and parental information in a recent cyberattack. The Burnaby School District announced on September 21 that the ransomware attack targeted school websites, portals, internal network services, and phone lines. The cybercriminals allegedly copied and stole files containing lists of parent, guardian, and student names and contact information, along with birthdates, grades, and school names.

Additionally, the hackers may have acquired registration forms, kindergarten assessment notes, and detailed lists of students enrolled in specialized learning plans.

The school district emphasizes that the matter is now under the jurisdiction of the RCMP and B.C.'s privacy commissioner. They are also evaluating their system security to prevent future breaches. To protect staff, students, and their families, the Burnaby School District has offered registration with TransUnion’s fraud alert service. The district encourages everyone to remain vigilant against suspicious communications.

A statement from the Burnaby School District reads, "We understand that incidents of this nature are concerning and we remain committed to keeping the Burnaby Schools community updated throughout this process, as the investigation proceeds and additional information becomes available." The district urges the community to remain informed as the situation unfolds.