Fulton County Schools Canvas system targeted by ShinyHunters

Fulton County Schools impacted by ransomware attack

A nationwide cyberattack targeting the Canvas learning platform is disrupting operations for Fulton County Schools during one of the busiest times of the academic year.

FULTON COUNTY, G.a - A nationwide cyberattack targeting the Canvas learning platform is disrupting operations for Fulton County Schools during one of the busiest times of the academic year.

What we know:

District officials alerted parents, students and staff that the system was completely offline Thursday following what the software vendor described as a cybersecurity incident.

Canvas is used daily by teachers and students for lessons, assignments, grades and communication. The outage comes as many students are preparing for or taking final exams.

The hacking group known as "ShinyHunters" claimed responsibility for the attack. According to reports, the group said it gained access to data connected to more than 275 million users across roughly 9,000 schools.

Officials said the breach reportedly involved names and internal messages, but passwords, Social Security numbers and financial information were not believed to be compromised.

The group threatened to release the information unless a ransom is paid by May 12. Cybersecurity experts said schools and universities typically do not negotiate ransom demands.

Fulton County Schools said it is working to identify alternative instructional resources for the remainder of the school year while the system remains down.

Next steps for families

What you can do:

District leaders are monitoring the situation and will provide direct updates to any families specifically impacted by the breach. 

Parents can find additional details and ongoing updates by visiting the official Fulton County Schools website.