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Ransomware attack hits Sycamore School District 427

SYCAMORE – Visitors to the Sycamore School District 427 website Tuesday were greeted with a pop-up message saying the district had been the victim of a ransomware attack.

The message from D-427 Superintendent Kathy Countryman addressed the issue on the district’s website.

“This morning, the District discovered some of our internal technology servers have been the victim of ransomware,” the message states. “District staff is working to determine to what extent any information was compromised.”

According to the message, the ransomware did not affect the district-wide email system, phone system, website, student information systems or building alarm systems. The district-owned Chromebooks and the information stored within the district’s Google Suite for Education were not a part of the incident, either.

What is ransomware?

Ransomware is a type of malicious software, or malware, designed to deny access to a computer system or data until a ransom is paid, according to the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency. Ransomware typically spreads through phishing emails or by unknowingly visiting an infected website.

Countryman could not be reached for comment Tuesday.

Source: The Daily Chronicle

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