US educational system hit with deluge of cyberattacks

Several U.S. schools, colleges, and universities have reported being impacted by ransomware attacks and cybersecurity incidents during the past few weeks, according to The Record, a news site by cybersecurity firm Recorded Future. Pennsylvania's Penncrest School District disclosed on May 1 that some of its systems have been disrupted by a suspected ransomware attack, while New Hampshire's Nashua School District reported on April 30 that it was hit by a "sophisticated" cyberattack, with both events under investigation. Moreover, West Virginia-based BridgeValley Community and Technical College had its systems compromised in a ransomware attack in early April, which the Akira ransomware operation has since taken credit for, while Virginia-based Bluefield University reported on April 30 that its systems have been shut down as a result of a cyberattack. Ransomware attacks against K-12 districts across the U.S. have reached at least 22, while attacks against universities and colleges have totaled at least 27 so far this year, said Emsisoft ransomware expert Brett Callow. "Small colleges and universities are unlikely to be able to invest as much in cybersecurity as larger organizations, and that means they're merely likely to be caught in spray-and-pray attacks," Callow added.