The Henry County School District says it will take several weeks to restore its computer network after a recent cyberattack.
See also: Hacking Attack or Student Prank on Lee County Schools?
The journalist of the Channel 2, Tom Regan, talked to parents who report that this makes it difficult for them to communicate with teachers about what is happening in the classroom.
During this period, the Network computer will not be accessible to parents or Students via the internet.
"Part of our secure recovery will begin with a planned global-scale code change that we will implement in the coming days. While our standard operations will continue with the extended outage, I will provide regular updates as we systematically re-introduce one application or service at a time until network and internet access is fully restored for all of our users" said the principal of the Henry County School District, Mary Elizabeth Davis, in a video statement.
In the video recording, the chief also indicated that their intervention appeared to be limited and many critical data files were protected.
"Although I have to acknowledge that this had the potential to be a serious case, the early indications give me confidence that the limited response we have confirmed is a good sign that there is limited, if any, impact and full recovery is possible.“
Henry School District officials say the cyberattack hasn't affected classroom instruction, but some parents say it's harder to keep up with Work and their child's progress.
See also: K-12 schools: improving protection against cyber attacks but still vulnerable
"You just can't communicate with the teachers. I'm an IT professional. It's imperative that they bring it back", said the parent Shantel Callaway.
School officials say a criminal investigation into the cyberattack is underway. They did not say whether the attacker had asked for a ransom.
What is the impact of cyber-attack on students' education?
Firstly, the disruption of systems can lead to a loss of access to digital resources and tools that students use for their education. This may limit their ability to acquire information and perform tasks that require the use of technology.
In addition, a cyber-attack can disrupt virtual classes and online meetings between students and teachers. This can create difficulties in communication and collaboration between them, as well as affect the delivery of instruction and assessment of students.
Still, the loss of systems can affect the storage and Accessed at at data of students, such as files and assignments. This can lead to the loss or destruction of important information and work created by students, with a negative impact on their progress and assessment.
See also: Pulaski County Public School victim of cyberattacks
Finally, cyber-attack can cause anxiety and disruption to students. The inadequacy of systems and the threat of cybersecurity can create feelings of insecurity and anxiety in students, affecting their psychological state and their ability to concentrate on learning.
Source: wsbtv
