Cybersecurity

The university is still without network services after shutting them down last week due to a possible cyber attack, leaving students without access to study materials and forcing professors to reach out on Facebook.

More attackers are stealing data and threatening to leak it without the complicated work of locking up files first, finds CrowdStrike’s Global Threat Report. Plus, attackers are getting around patches to re-exploit vulnerabilities.

Public-facing services in Oregon City, Ore., were taken offline Feb. 6 after what officials are now calling a “sophisticated ransomware attack.” While most services have been restored, others are expected to relaunch this week.

Russia-based ransomware group LockBit claims to have stolen "confidential data" from Pierce Transit and about 300 GB of data from the city of Lakewood. The cyber attack was discovered Feb. 14, officials said.

Some of the nation’s top cybersecurity leaders are warning state and local election officials of ongoing foreign and domestic national security threats to election systems.

The ransomware attack against city systems earlier this month continues to hamper public access to the 311 phone system. The outage comes as heavy rain and winds sweep the region.

The largest secondary school district in California shut down its Internet and student information system after noticing problems with Microsoft systems. It will take weeks to confirm whether personal information was compromised.

This past week was dominated with stories surrounding the one-year mark of Russia’s invasion into Ukraine. What have we learned on the global cybersecurity front in that time?

Online public hearings hosted through Zoom are being disrupted by participants posting inappropriate images and symbols. The incidents are forcing officials to rethink the use of the popular meeting platform.

Dallas is the first city in the state to offer access to a new, free smartphone app that promises it blocks criminal threats. The app works from any smartphone and users don’t have to live or work in the city.

Stanislaus State is bringing networks back online after shutting them down last week due to suspicious activity, which caused major disruption across campus. It's still investigating and has not specified what happened.

A coalition of education advocacy groups have asked the FCC to allow schools to use federal E-rate funding to strengthen their IT security infrastructure amid an onslaught of cyber attacks targeting the education sector.

Los Angeles Unified School District officials report that as many as 2,000 student records were posted on the dark web as a result of a recent cyber attack. Some of the exposed records were more than three decades old.

A cyber attack against Long Beach Unified School District has exposed student data including student ID numbers, names and email addresses, although more sensitive information apparently remains secure.

Butte School District will no longer pay vendors by direct deposit but by check only, after a cyber thief stole $1.1 million by using detailed information to pose as a vendor in an email requesting payment.

Making effective open source election software is one thing. Removing barriers to its use is another and means addressing concerns around liability, troubleshooting and certification.

Gov. Ron DeSantis has proposed a bill to create a “digital bill of rights” aimed at curbing big tech “overreach and surveillance.” Meanwhile, Lt. Gov. Jeanette Nuñez announced millions in cybersecurity grants for local governments.

Chris Inglis, the first national cyber director, has officially left the position. Principal Deputy National Cyber Director Kemba Walden will step in as acting director.