Uvalde CISD says no data breach occurred in ransomware attack that shut down campuses for a week

UVALDE, Texas – Investigators said there was no data breach involved in the technology incident that shut down Uvalde schools last week, the district announced Saturday.

The Uvalde Consolidated Independent School District announced it has restored internet, security, heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems ahead of its scheduled return to classes Monday.

In a Facebook post, the district said it has made “significant progress in addressing the recent technology incident.”

The district said they anticipate all systems, except phones, to be operational when school resumes Monday.

Efforts to restore the phones are continuing over the weekend, but the district said it “remains a challenge.”

If phone are still offline Monday, the school district intends to have staff use their personal cell phones to contact parents without caller ID. The district also said students will also be permitted to contact their parents using their phones if necessary.

The district closed all its schools last week after ransomware was detected in the district’s servers, severely affecting access to systems vital for the school’s safety and security.

The district contacted the FBI, which later told KSAT 12 ransomware attacks are one of the fastest-growing threats the agency investigates.

The forensic investigation is ongoing, but concluded that there was no data breach in the attack.

Read more:

• Uvalde CISD to resume classes next week after ransomware attack prompts week-long cancellations
• After Uvalde CISD cancels classes due to ransomware attack, FBI outlines growing threat