Authorities are investigating a possible cyberattack after an email was sent to a person who works at JeffCo Public School, officials said in an online Wednesday.
See also: Ransomware attack on Chicago school exposes data of 500,000 students
According to the district, several staff members reported receiving an email on Oct. 31. District spokeswoman Kimberly Eloedeclined to comment and referred The Denver Gazette to a statement found online.
“The Jeffco District’s IT team is working with cybersecurity experts and law enforcement to determine the credibility of the attack and the scope of the incident,” the district said in a statement. “As this is a cyber threat, there is no concern regarding physical security.”
Colorado law requires government agencies to report data breaches to the attorney general within 30 days of discovery. Colorado Department of Higher Education officials were in a bind last month after The Denver Gazette reported that the system did not immediately notify authorities of a massive data breach it discovered in June.
The department disclosed the breach six weeks after it was discovered, when officials from several Colorado universities learned about it after the state agency misreported it at a meeting. The department has not yet disclosed how many people may have been affected by the ransomware.
See also: School employee stole 3,000 Apple iPods intended for students
The Colorado Department of Higher Education isn’t the only entity that’s been slow to report breached information. In March, Denver Public Schools officials revealed that personal information for up to 15,000 employees was stolen in a month-long “cybersecurity incident,” according to 9News, a Denver Gazette affiliate. The breach was discovered in January.
Attackers sometimes demand payments to unlock the affected systems that have been locked. The Attorney General's Office considers an attack a breach if it affects 500 or more Colorado residents. As of Thursday, JeffCo officials were unaware of the extent of the cyber threat.
Authorities said: “We do not know the extent and individuals affected by this incident.”
The threat that cyberattacks pose to people and national security is real. According to the U.S. Government Accountability Office, the risks to information systems are increasing as malicious actors become more capable of carrying out cyberattacks. It is unclear how many data breaches have occurred among Colorado government agencies.
See also: School for hackers: Criminals teach lessons on botnets
The main motivations behind cyberattacks on schools can be many. One of the main reasons is the search for personal information, such as financial information or personal records of students and teachers. Attackers can use this information for fraud, identity theft, or other illegal activities.
Another reason behind cyberattacks on schools is the desire for financial gain. Attackers may exploit weaknesses in the school's security system and demand a ransom to restore data or stop the attacks.
Additionally, some cyberattacks on schools may have political motives. Attackers may wish to disrupt the operations or spread political messages by compromising its systems.
Finally, some cyberattacks on schools may originate from attacks by rival schools or groups of young hackers who wish to demonstrate their skills or cause disruption and recognition.
Source: denvergazette
