The University of Minnesota announced Friday the instruction platform Canvas is back online following a cyberattack of the platform a day prior.
In a statement to University community members, Provost Gretchen Ritter and Chief Information Officer Tarek Tomes assured students, staff and faculty that the site has been reviewed for security and acknowledged the stress the shutdown may have caused, as the University begins its spring final exam season.
“The University’s Office of Information Technology has conducted security and operational reviews to restore local access with a focus on reengaging the platform for our campuses safely, securely and reliably,” the statement said. “We recognize this is a particularly demanding point in the semester, with so many managing final assignments, exams, grading responsibilities and student concerns.”
The security breach is believed to come from criminal hacking group ShinyHunters, which, according to CNN, would make this their second attack targeting Canvas in less than 10 days. The hack was believed to be part of a ransom scheme, which held student and staff information from thousands of schools, colleges and universities hostage in the hopes of a payout.
Though some details regarding the attack remain unclear, Canvas’ parent company, Instructure, said external forensic partners reviewed the hack and verified that no outside actors have access to the platform any longer.
University administrators say, following the disruption, they will continue to work closely with faculty and students to mitigate any hardships that may have occurred due to the attack.
“Thank you again for your flexibility and continued support of your peers and colleagues as our teams worked to restore services while prioritizing security and data integrity,” the statement said.
