After a recent ransomware attack on the school district’s IT system, Baltimore County Public Schools announced Monday evening that it will return to virtual instruction for all students on Wednesday.
The school district prepared steps for students and teachers to perform “confidence checks” on some school-issued devices to make sure that they are not compromised. Students who need a new device or help can go to their nearest high school on Tuesday between 1 p.m. and 5 p.m.
No information was given about what group was behind the ransomware attack, what they asked for or if sensitive private information was revealed.
The day before Thanksgiving, the school system found that a ransomware attack had jeopardized its online networks, including email systems, grading systems and virtual platforms teachers and students relied on for distance learning.
The attack came a day after a state audit was released revealing that “significant risks existed within BCPS’ computer network,” including sensitive, identifiable personal information that did not have proper safeguards in place.
On Saturday, the school system announced that there would be no classes on Monday and Tuesday for the 115,000 students who are participating in virtual learning this semester. On Sunday, the school system confirmed that school-issued Chromebooks were not affected by the cyber-attack.
Elizabeth Shwe
Reporter
Elizabeth Shwe was a Report for America corps member at Maryland Matters through May 2022. She previously covered California state politics during an internship at The Sacramento Bee. She is a 2020 graduate of Princeton University with a degree in political science. At Princeton she was a producer for WPRB 103.3 FM News & Culture section, the station’s only long form podcast-type program. Shwe also wrote for The Daily Princetonian, and tutored with the Petey Greene Program, which offers free tutoring to incarcerated people.
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