The Glendale Unified School District detected a ransomware cybersecurity incident on Wednesday that impacted its systems and resulted in teachers having to pivot from assigning online schoolwork.
“We immediately started an investigation, and we are working diligently with cybersecurity experts to determine the nature and scope of the incident,” the district said in a statement. “A cyber forensics team is meticulously analyzing every element of the issue to provide us with information on what systems were impacted and how.”
While the investigation is ongoing, GUSD said on Friday it is too early to address concerns regarding the potential compromise of personal information.
In the meantime, the district is advising staff, students and parents to refrain from using GUSD computers or Chromebooks, and to not access any GUSD accounts or online resources from a district or personal device.
GUSD schools are open, and all in-person classes and programs are operating on their normal schedules. Teachers from the Verdugo Academy independent study program are contacting students and families directly to set up individual plans to ensure students remain caught up on their online assignments.
Middle and high school administrators are working closely with district leaders to create a plan if alternative arrangements for grades and final exams need to be made.
Currently, GUSD teachers and staff do not have access to email or ParentSquare communications. To contact a GUSD school, call the school office directly.
“We appreciate your continued patience and support as we navigate this situation. We will continue to keep notifying our community as new information is available,” the district said. “We are working to restore access to the impacted systems as quickly as possible and will keep students, employees and families updated as services are brought online.”
First published in the December 9 print issue of the Glendale News-Press.
