A major cyberattack hit Canvas, a popular online learning management system used by thousands of schools and universities worldwide. The outage barred students and teachers from assignments, grades, and key course notes during the busy end-of-year exam season.
Students described confusion and panic as warning messages from the hackers suddenly appeared on their screens. Many lost access to study materials needed for final exams, while others worried they might have to redo essays or tests.
Hacker group ShinyHunters claimed responsibility for the attack. The group threatened to release the personal information of millions of students, teachers, and staff members unless it received payment.
Instructure, the company behind Canvas, said there is no evidence that passwords, financial information, or government identification details were stolen. However, cybersecurity experts warned that what was leaked could still be used for identity theft or fraud.
Some schools temporarily suspended access to Canvas and advised users to watch for phishing emails and change passwords. Experts also encouraged students and staff to enable multi-factor authentication, monitor bank accounts, and limit the amount of personal information shared online.
Yesel Kang Copy Editor junior/1780538843/1613367813
1. Which online learning system was hit by a major cyberattack?
2. What information did the hacker group threaten to release publicly?
3. Which hacker group claimed responsibility for the global system attack?
4. Name two actions experts encouraged students to protect accounts.
1. Why is losing learning systems stressful during final exams?
2. Should schools pay hackers money to protect private data?
3. What is the most effective way to prevent identity theft?
4. How can schools prepare students for digital emergencies and outages?
A major cyberattack hit Canvas, a popular online learning management system used by thousands of schools and universities worldwide. The outage barred students and teachers from assignments, grades, and key course notes during the busy end-of-year exam season.
