Student information stolen in cyberattack, says Burnaby school district

Students in Burnaby may have had their personal information stolen in a recent ransomware attack, the Burnaby school district says.

In an online notice and letters sent to parents, the district said an “unauthorized party” accessed its systems and copied files containing personal information on students and staff.

“While we acted quickly to respond to and contain the incident, some information and records were placed at risk,” said the district, which discovered the attack on Sept. 21.

The cyberattack also affected phone lines and access to MyEducation, an online portal with information lsuch as attendance records, grades and report cards. Phone service was restored to schools and other district sites on Sept. 28 and access to MyEducation was restored Oct. 1.

The district brought in cybersecurity specialists to respond to the attack. It also notified Burnaby RCMP and the Office of the Information and Privacy Commissioner for B.C.

While the district described the impact on students, parents and guardians as “limited” and said the most sensitive information remained secure, it warned that the stolen files may contain students’ and parents’ names and contact information, schools, birthdates, personal education numbers and bus routes.

Other potentially compromised information includes documents used to establish residency, such as visas, permanent resident documents, leases and utility bills. Also at risk were student assessments and medical information, such as diagnoses and details about the needs of students who receive specialized learning assistance or support.

The district said it continues to investigate the breach and assess security to prevent future incidents. It pledged to notify affected individuals as “reliable findings become available,” including details about the types of personal information involved, risks, and recommended steps.

As a precaution, the district offered students and staff registration with TransUnion’s fraud alert database. It also urged students, parents and guardians to be cautious of unusual communications, including messages purporting to come from the school district.

Burnaby is B.C.’s fourth largest school district, with about 27,000 students in 41 elementary and eight secondary schools.

chchan@postmedia.com