The Toronto District School Board (TDSB) encountered a ransomware threat targeting its testing environment, officials reported. This institution, overseeing 582 schools for approximately 235,000 students, detected unauthorized activity within its technology testing system. Although the main systems remained unaffected, the TDSB promptly engaged its cybersecurity team to secure data and assess potential impacts.
TDSB officials, including Director of Education Colleen Russell-Rawlins and Associate Director Stacey Zucker, reassured parents that the board’s systems remained operational despite the attempted attack. Immediate measures were taken to preserve data integrity and protect critical systems. While the incident is under investigation, TDSB has involved the Toronto Police Service and external experts to evaluate the situation thoroughly.
The TDSB, with an annual operating budget of about $3.5 billion, represents one of Canada’s largest and most diverse school systems. This incident adds to a concerning trend of ransomware attacks targeting Toronto institutions, following previous incidents affecting the city, its library system, transportation, zoo, and hospitals. TDSB remains committed to transparency and will notify affected individuals if any personal information is compromised, pending the investigation’s outcome.
