In the News: Baltimore Schools Closed After Ransomware Attack

Ransomware is a kind of malicious software that encrypts a victim’s files. Attackers will typically demand ransom in exchange for restored access to those files. Therefore, understanding how ransomware technology evolves is key for school leaders to remain vigilant and protect against it.

The public schools in Baltimore County, Md., will remain closed Monday and Tuesday as officials respond to a cyberattack that forced the district to cancel remote classes for its 115,000 students just before the Thanksgiving holiday, officials said. The attack, first detected late Tuesday night, affected the district’s websites and remote learning programs, as well as its grading and email systems, officials told WBAL-TV. Schools were closed Wednesday, one day earlier than scheduled for Thanksgiving. On Saturday, the district announced on Twitter that classes would be closed for two additional days on Monday and Tuesday due “to the recent ransomware attack.”

Read this full article in the NY Times: Ransomware Attack Closes Baltimore County Public Schools

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