Regina Public Schools remain offline, cyber attack confirmed
Cyber security attacks happen every day, and as Regina Public Schools division discovered this week, no one is safe.
Experiencing a hack on May 22, 2022, the board released a statement on Twitter, saying in part:
“As a result of this attack, the school division has taken its systems offline in order to assess the nature and scope of the attack and to ensure that the school division’s systems can be safely brought back online. When the school division noticed the suspicious activity on its systems, it took immediate action, suspending all affected systems and securing them to mitigate any impact to data and operations.”
In a statement, the Ministry of Education added:
“The Government of Saskatchewan is aware that Regina Public Schools experienced a cybersecurity attack and it is our understanding that the division is taking appropriate steps to get the IT system back online safely with support from cybersecurity professionals, and will investigate the attack appropriately.”
This is not the first cyber attack the province has experienced in a major sector over the past two years. The Health sector and SLGA were both targets, and Cyber Security expert, Brennen Schmidt, said it is because the focus is not where it needs to be.
“We hear time and time again that budget restraints are top of mind, government is very, very focused on economic recovery, and unfortunately these kinds of scenarios put a full stop to that kind of recovery,” said Schmidt.
“Saskatchewan’s economic future is going to be dependant on how we shore up defences and invest strategically so we don’t have bad actors continuing to do this,” he added.
At this time, the Regina Public Schools division could not confirm the depths of the breach, nor what information was leaked.
The Twitter post says they will continue to update the public via Facebook and Twitter, while emails and school portals remain offline.
Parents are asked to call into schools for any student service needs.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
LIVE B.C. seeks ban on using drugs in 'all public spaces,' shifting approach to decriminalization
The B.C. government is moving to have drug use banned in 'all public spaces,' marking a major shift in the province's approach to decriminalization.
Air traveller complaints to Canadian Transportation Agency hit new high
The Canadian Transportation Agency has hit a record high of more than 71,000 complaints in a backlog. The quasi-judicial regulator and tribunal tasked with settling disputes between customers and the airlines says the backlog is growing because the number of incoming complaints keeps increasing.
Orca calf that was trapped in B.C. lagoon for weeks swims free
An orca whale calf that has been stranded in a B.C. lagoon for weeks after her pregnant mother died swam out on her own early Friday morning.
Sophie Gregoire Trudeau on navigating post-political life, co-parenting and freedom
Sophie Gregoire Trudeau says there is 'still so much love' between her and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, as they navigate their post-separation relationship co-parenting their three children.
More than 115 cases of eye damage reported in Ontario after solar eclipse
More than 115 people who viewed the solar eclipse in Ontario earlier this month experienced eye damage after the event, according to eye doctors in the province.
U.S. flight attendant indicted in attempt to record teen girl in airplane bathroom
An American Airlines flight attendant was indicted Thursday after authorities said he tried to secretly record video of a 14-year-old girl using an airplane bathroom last September.
76ers All-Star centre Joel Embiid says he has Bell's palsy
Philadelphia 76ers All-Star centre Joel Embiid has been diagnosed with Bell’s palsy, a form of facial paralysis he says has affected him since before the play-in tournament.
AFN chief says Air Canada offered a 15% discount after her headdress was mishandled
After the Assembly of First Nations' national chief complained to Air Canada about how staffers treated her and her ceremonial headdress on a flight this week, she says the airline responded by offering a 15 per cent discount on her next flight.
Trump's lawyers try to discredit testimony of prosecution's first witness in hush money trial
Donald Trump's defence team attacked the credibility Friday of the prosecution's first witness in his hush money case, seeking to discredit testimony detailing a scheme between Trump and a tabloid to bury negative stories to protect the Republican's 2016 presidential campaign.