THE ATTACK IMPAIRED PERFORMANCE OF DISTRICT’S DIGITAL SERVICES
The Washington Local Schools district covers 17 square miles in Toledo, Ohio. Approximately 7000 students are enrolled at eight elementary schools, two single-grade junior highs and one comprehensive high school campus. Recently, the district administration admitted that a cyber attack hit the chain of schools leaving the phone-lines, email accounts, internet, WiFi and Google Classroom in disarray.
The facebook page of the schools carried this statement on May 19 at 2:59 a.m. soon after the incident.
“We are working with cyber forensic professionals to assist with the investigation and recovery. Please understand that teachers and staff do not have access to outgoing or incoming calls or email at this time.
“Tomorrow morning we will communicate an emergency phone number dedicated to each school. You will receive this information on our Swift K12 Alert System and in a printed letter that will go home with students.
“At this time, we are just beginning to learn some of the details of the attack. As the investigators learn more, we will provide updates.
“If you have a senior, we are working to ensure a smooth exam process and make their final two days memorable.
“Thank you for your patience and understanding as we work with cyber professionals to restore our system.”
Luckily, the incident occurred when the academic year was coming to a close at the schools. In the last week before the close, the students were introduced to lessons in the 1990-way which essentially meant there was no internet.
Superintendent Kadee Anstadt said that the phone-lines have been restored and email can also be accessed as long as Washington Local’s server is not being used for the purpose.
Several bodies came forward to provide assistance to the schools in this hour of test and tribulations. The Huntington Centre offered their space to hold the graduation ceremony while the Toledo Lucas County Public Library offered WiFi hotspots and meeting space for students and administrators who were taking online courses. The library’s printer was also there for liberal use.
Jason Kucsma, the executive director at the library acknowledged that the entire district assisted the library when it was hit by a ransomware attack that encrypted data and demanded huge ransom for unlocking the files. At that time, WLS offered its facilities for the library staff enabling them to continue working for the community. When the WLS was suffered a similar attack some time later, it was automatic for the County Public Library to return the favours.
Ms Anstadt expressed her gratitude for this gesture and said, “Huge shout-out to the Toledo Lucas County Public Library who made a ton of hotspots available to us and helped us during all this. A lot of our teachers went to the library over the weekend and borrowed them so they could make use of them in the classroom this week.”
The whole episode exemplifies how welfare communities respond and assist each other whenever an untoward incident takes place. The world should take the example of Washington Local Schools and take a lesson from them.
