Huntsville City Schools returned from their Thanksgiving break only to have classes suspended by midday Monday due to a cyberattack threatening their network.
Students, teachers, and personnel were asked to immediately shut their computers down and avoid logging on to them and any district-issued devices until further notice. While this fast action likely saved the network from a far more serious breach, just the threat of a breach was enough to halt all learning-related activities and leave everyone wondering when it would be safe to continue activities as normal.
Heightened Threats to Healthcare
In late October of 2020, an FBI announcement warned of attacks on healthcare facilities. The notice stated that five U.S hospitals had already been under attack and four healthcare systems were reported to be victims of the ransomware known as Ryuk. The attacks crippled EHR access and forced some facilities to rely on paper records, slowing emergency room response time and canceling some operations.
The FBI dispatch warned that the increase in attacks was timed to hit at the worst moment as healthcare facilities are reacting to the recent spike in COVID-19 cases. The warning adds that major cities from Baltimore to Atlanta have been hit as well as local governments and schools. We have seen firsthand how these attacks have hit close to home in Huntsville.
Make no mistake. Hackers are out there. They are looking for your weaknesses and, as the recent attack on Huntsville City Schools proves, even the threat of the attack can shut you down. Make sure you are doing all you can and double your efforts to be prepared.
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