“Today, we learned that data inappropriately accessed during the incident may have been posted on the dark web,” Superintendent Jason Kamras said on Monday, Nov. 9, according to a report from wric.com.
Richmond Public Schools (RPS) officials confirmed that information stolen during a cybersecurity attack nearly three weeks ago might now be circulating in illegal online spaces. GovTech reported that the district is currently working with law enforcement to confirm the exact details and investigate the full scope of the disclosed information.
The breach began on Wednesday, Oct. 21, when a cybersecurity incident disrupted online systems across the district. In an immediate move to contain the threat, school leaders shut off internet access district-wide to prevent further unauthorized access to sensitive data, according to wric.com.
RPS officials also noted that the stolen data may include limited medical information. The hackers, who previously claimed to have accessed sensitive files, had threatened to publish the data to a “leak site” if their demands were not met, GovTech reported.
The dark web is a specialized portion of the internet that requires specific software to access. It is frequently used for illegal activities, including the sale of stolen financial and personal information.
Since the initial October 21 attack, the district has implemented several technical workarounds to maintain operations. RPS has provided access to a “secure alternate access” point reachable via district Chromebooks to mitigate the impact of the disabled technology services.
To assist those potentially harmed by the leak, Superintendent Kamras previously announced that the district would offer one year of free credit monitoring and identity theft protection through Experian. This service is available to all impacted staff, students, and families, wric.com reported.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Virginia State Police are both assisting RPS with the ongoing inquiry.
“We are mindful of the trust our students and their families, our teachers and staff, and the local community place in our organization,” RPS officials said in a Monday statement.
The district maintains that it is committed to transparency as more details emerge regarding the incident.
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