Cyber extortionists target more schools
Patrol Officer Michelle O’Neil of the Kalispell Police Department walks the halls at Hedges Elementary in Kalispell on Tuesday, September 19, the first day back at school for students. This was going to be O’Neil’s day off, but when she was asked if she was available to help make students and parents feel safe about returning to school, she took on the extra duty. According to Assistant Superintendent Andrea Johnson overall attendance for the school district was at 83%. Flathead and Glacier had 90% attendance, Kalispell Middle was at 88%, and the elementary schools were at 80%.…
The group of internet hackers who claimed credit for breaching the Columbia Falls School District’s database is allegedly wreaking havoc on other schools throughout the nation.
The U.S. Department of Education issued a warning this month encouraging school districts to take extra precautions against cyber extortionists.
The warning came after the group of cyber criminals, who call themselves the Dark Overlord, took credit for hacking the Johnston Community School District in Iowa and allegedly releasing personal information about students.
The Dark Overlord also took credit for an attack on the Splendora Independent School District in Texas, according to The Washington Post.
The initial threats made by the Dark Overlord toward the Flathead Valley in mid-September prompted a valleywide school closure for three days while law enforcement investigated the case. The cyber hackers took credit for the security breach that compromised personal information for students and staff within the Columbia Falls School District. The hackers reportedly used information — including phone numbers, addresses and emails — stolen from the district to threaten staff and community members before sending an extortion letter to school officials.
The Department of Education warning advised school districts that “criminals are seeking to extort money from school districts and other educational institutions on the threat of releasing sensitive data from student records. In some cases, this has included threats of violence, shaming, or bullying the children unless payment is received.”
The Johnston Community School District, located near Des Moines, was closed Oct. 3 and had a late start Oct. 4 after students and parents within the district received anonymous messages, threatening the safety and security of their students, according to the district.
A representative from the Johnston School District told The Post the hackers got student information and parent phone numbers from a server kept by a third-party vendor. The hackers also posted phone numbers and names of the students online, encouraging predators to target them.
The cyber warning issued by the Education Department said the attackers are likely targeting districts with weak data security or well-known vulnerabilities.
The Department of Education warning notes “none of the threats of violence have thus far been judged to be credible.”
The cyber-extortion cases aimed at the school districts are being investigated by the FBI.
Reporter Breeana Laughlin can be reached at 758-4441 or blaughlin@dailyinterlake.com.