South St. Paul Public Schools Faces Technology Disruption
This week, South St. Paul Public Schools notified families of an ongoing investigation into a technology disruption affecting various digital services. The district informed staff and families on Monday about technical difficulties that could impact online platforms, emails, and other digital services. Then, on Tuesday, the district revealed that “unauthorized activity” had been detected within the computer network.
Taking swift action, South St. Paul Public Schools immediately took their systems offline to isolate the issue once the unusual activity was discovered. In a note to families on Tuesday, the district stated that they had engaged a third-party cybersecurity firm to aid in systems recovery and investigate the cause and extent of the unauthorized activity.
While the investigation is still ongoing, the district’s primary focus is on restoring all systems and ensuring a productive learning environment for students and staff. Acknowledging the prevalence of cyber threats in today’s world, the district stated in the note that they have proactively taken steps to create a secure online environment.
This incident comes on the heels of similar cybersecurity issues in neighboring school districts and institutions. Last year, the St. Paul school district informed over 43,000 families of a “data security incident,” while the University of Minnesota reported a data breach compromising personal information dating back to 1989. Additionally, Minneapolis Public Schools experienced a ransomware attack that exposed confidential student documents after the district refused to pay a ransom.
Despite these recent incidents, South St. Paul Public Schools officials have not yet responded to requests for comment as of Wednesday afternoon.
