The cyber thieves who recently attempted to extort cash out of Collingwood School drew a blank screen, according to the school’s communication director.
The ransomware attack on the West Vancouver private school was a “failed attempt at financial fraud,” said Angela Nielsen.
The school alerted families to a “cyber incident” on Wednesday. Nielsen would not disclose when the attack happened or when the school became aware of the extortion attempt.
“We don’t discuss the particulars,” she said.
As a precaution, the school’s internal network was taken offline. The school uses third party platforms for registration and student information. However, the ransomware attempt was made on a platform that houses internal documents such as lesson plans, Nielsen explained.
“There’s no evidence to show that there was any access to personal information,” she said.
External consultants are putting together the timeline for an investigation. However, the school is withholding the specifics of the fraud attempt, except to say there are no plans to alter the school’s cyber security.
The school informed the Office of the Information and Privacy Commissioner for B.C. about the ransomware attack “out of an abundance of caution,” Nielsen said.
The provincial office has opened a file on the incident and is consulting with the school as they “address the circumstances of the breach,” stated OIPC communications manager Jane Zatylny.
