The FBI has warned that there may be a possible surge in ransomware attacks targeting US schools as they resume classes following the summer break. Over the holiday weekend, the FBI reported that the country’s second largest school district, the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) was compromised by threat actors. The county serves 600,000 students ranging in age from kindergarten to twelfth grade. LAUSD reportedly detected unusual activity on its information technology systems over the long weekend that was later confirmed to be an external cyberattack.
The attack is not expected to cause major technical issues or disrupt school transportation and operations. However, business operations may be delayed due to the attack, the school district said. LAUSD has conducted a preliminary analysis of the impact of the attack and stated that there is no indication that critical business systems, employee healthcare, and payroll information was impacted. In addition, the cybersecurity incident did not impact safety and emergency mechanisms that are in place at its schools. It is unclear who was behind the attack but it is possible that the Vice Society threat group was responsible.
Read More: FBI K-12 Ransomware Warning as LAUSD is Hit
