Alabama State Department of Education under investigation for cyber attack

TLDR:

Authorities are investigating a cyber attack on the Alabama State Department of Education, where hackers gained access to some data and services. State and federal law enforcement are involved in the investigation, and the department has restored services with additional cybersecurity protocols in place.

Article Summary:

The Alabama State Department of Education recently reported a cyber attack and data breach on their systems. State Superintendent Dr. Eric Mackey revealed that the attack was interrupted by the Information System staff before full access was gained, but some data and services were breached. They are working with various entities to determine the extent of the breach, which may include student and employee data. The department advises affected parties to monitor their credit and assume their data was compromised.

Officials emphasized that they do not negotiate with hackers and have taken steps to secure their data. A landing page has been created to update the public, and the department’s website will be down for updates related to the cyber attack. The investigation is ongoing, and relevant parties will be notified about any compromised data. Services have been restored with added cybersecurity measures in place.

This cyber attack serves as a reminder of the importance of cybersecurity and the potential vulnerabilities that organizations face. It also highlights the need for timely responses and cooperation with law enforcement to address such incidents effectively.