Digital Forensics Dispatch

Ransomware Attack Pauses Learning for Baltimore Area Students

December 1, 2020

Last week, Baltimore County public school district found itself victim of a ransomware attack occurring on their systems the day before Thanksgiving, according to the BBC.

Due to the attack, students found themselves unable to access online lessons amid the ongoing remote learning sessions. The district has released a statement saying it would be spending the next couple days reviewing the details surrounding the attack and working towards getting its systems up and running. Popular local newspaper the Baltimore Sun has reported the attack could leave the school’s systems down for weeks.

The school district has offered limited information regarding the breach and called it a “catastrophic attack on our technology system.” The district also acknowledged that local, state and federal law enforcement was involved in investigating the attack.

The issue that often occurs with ransomware attacks is that there is no guarantee that the cyber-criminals will provide a decryption key for the systems once payment is made. This is why law enforcement often suggests not complying with these types of requests.

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