Ransomware attack on online classes forces Baltimore public schools to close on Monday and Tuesday with 115,000 pupils told to stay home

 Baltimore County's school system is to stay closed on Monday and Tuesday after being hit with a ransomware attack which hit its network systems last week.

The system's 115,000 students had been attending classes entirely online due to the coronavirus pandemic, and the cyberattack on Wednesday forced lessons to be abandoned. 

The attack came after an internal audit showed the schools' computer system was open to attack with very little in the way of protection from potential hackers. 

School will be closed for students Monday and Tuesday, while offices will be open. 

Staff will be given more information about those two days, officials said to the Baltimore Sun

'This provides much-needed time for our staff to continue working to set up the instructional platform and to communicate next steps regarding devices,' the BCP schools system said in a statement on Facebook and Twitter on Saturday. 

'We understand how challenging this situation is for families and staff, and we thank you for your patience as we work through this crisis,' the statement read. 

Baltimore County public schools are to remain will be closed, and distance learning is also canceled on Monday and Tuesday of next week (file photo)

Baltimore County public schools are to remain will be closed, and distance learning is also canceled on Monday and Tuesday of next week (file photo)

Baltimore County Public Schools revealed that a ransomeware attack had forced schools to be closed with online classes as a result

Baltimore County Public Schools revealed that a ransomeware attack had forced schools to be closed with online classes as a result 

Although classes have been shelved for the first part of the week, daily updates will be provided each day at 5pm.

School meals for students will still also be available from more than 300 locations for those who require it. 

Local officials have released very little information about this week's cyberattack.

The county police are said to be working alongside the FBI and Maryland's Emergency Management Agency to rectify the situation. 


BCPS Superintendent Darryl Williams pictured at the podium. The attack was discovered on Wednesday leaving investigators and school staff working through the Thanksgiving break trying to get the system back on line

BCPS Superintendent Darryl Williams pictured at the podium. The attack was discovered on Wednesday leaving investigators and school staff working through the Thanksgiving break trying to get the system back on line

BCPS Superintendent Darryl Williams revealed Baltimore County Public Schools were aware of computer network vulnerabilities before this week's cyberattack brought school operations to a standstill

BCPS Superintendent Darryl Williams revealed Baltimore County Public Schools were aware of computer network vulnerabilities before this week's cyberattack brought school operations to a standstill

The ransomware attack came just days after a local news team reported how Maryland state auditors found significant risks within the BCPS computer network reports WBAL.

The Office of Legislative Audits said that BCPS did not adequately secure sensitive personal information. 

The system did also not allow for untrusted traffic with 26 publicly accessible servers  with a virtually non-existent intrusion detection system.  

Chesapeake High School is one of 300 school where classes that moved online will now also be cancelled

Chesapeake High School is one of 300 school where classes that moved online will now also be cancelled 

Ransomware attack on online classes forces Baltimore public schools to close on Monday and Tuesday with 115,000 pupils told to stay home Ransomware attack on online classes forces Baltimore public schools to close on Monday and Tuesday with 115,000 pupils told to stay home Reviewed by CUZZ BLUE on November 29, 2020 Rating: 5

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