Durham schools without email or phone services after 'cyber incident'
The Durham District School Board (DDSB) says it’s currently recovering from what it calls a ‘cyber-incident’ that has left schools without access to phone or email services as well as emergency contact information.
In a letter to parents and guardians on Sunday, the school board said the incident first came to their attention on Friday and that steps were immediately taken to secure their network.
“The Durham District School Board is currently recovering from a cyber-incident that first came to our attention on Friday. Upon our discovery, we immediately took steps to secure our network and retained expert assistance. We have notified law enforcement and are working to investigate and understand the full impact of this incident,” the letter said.
The letter goes on to say that in-person schools will remain open on Monday, but “all DDSB phone and email services are not working and schools may not have access to emergency contact information.”
The school board is asking parents and guardians to send temporary emergency contact information with their children to school.
Schools will be taking manual attendance on Monday and parents and guardians will not be contacted if their child is absent, the letter says.
The letter also said that all ‘DDSB@Home’ classes and literacy tests are cancelled on Monday, while warning that most student Chromebooks won’t be working.
The DDSB said schools “will be taking measures to ensure the safe operation of schools on Monday" and added that childcare services and community use of schools will continue as usual.
“Our IT team has been working throughout the weekend and will continue until we are able to restore services. We appreciate that this incident raises a significant privacy concern, and we will be providing updates and sharing more information when we have it. Thank you for your patience and understanding as we work through this and we sincerely apologise for any inconvenience this may cause,” the letter said.
No further information has been provided about the nature of the apparent cyber attack or when the school board expects to regain access to the services that have been affected.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Several flight attendants from Pakistan have gone missing after landing in Canada
Multiple flight attendants from Pakistan International Airlines have abandoned their jobs and are believed to have sought asylum in Canada in the past year and a half, a spokesperson for the government-owned airline says.
Premiers not being truthful about carbon tax, Trudeau says while sparks fly in Ottawa
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says Conservative premiers across the country are 'not telling the truth' when it comes to the carbon tax. Trudeau's comments came as fresh sparks were flying in Ottawa at a recalled House of Commons committee.
A Nigerian woman reviewed some tomato puree online. Now she faces jail
A Nigerian woman who wrote an online review of a can of tomato puree is facing imprisonment after its manufacturer accused her of making a “malicious allegation” that damaged its business.
Far North police 'dispatch' polar bear stalking schoolyard
Police and local hunters in an Ontario Far North First Nation community have “dispatched” a polar that was showing abnormal behaviour and treating the area as a hunting ground.
Cargo ship had engine maintenance in port before Baltimore bridge collapse, officials say
The cargo ship that lost power and crashed into a bridge in Baltimore underwent 'routine engine maintenance' in port beforehand, the U.S. Coast Guard said Wednesday.
'Ninja,' Twitch's biggest streamer, is diagnosed with skin cancer
American gamer and Twitch superstar, Tyler 'Ninja' Blevins, revealed he was diagnosed with melanoma, a form of skin cancer.
Donald Trump assails judge and his daughter after gag order in N.Y. hush-money criminal case
Donald Trump lashed out Wednesday at the New York judge who put him under a gag order that bars him from commenting publicly about witnesses, prosecutors, court staff and jurors in his upcoming hush-money criminal trial.
Here's what Trudeau says the upcoming federal budget will offer renters
The federal government will create a new 'Canadian Renters' Bill of Rights,' which would require landlords to disclose their properties' rental price history to prospective tenants.
Families shocked after Niagara Falls hotel cancels bookings made year in advance of solar eclipse
After having the foresight to book their Niagara Falls hotel rooms more than a year in advance, several families planning to take in the solar eclipse next month were shocked to find out their reservations had been cancelled.