Cyberattack on GTA School Boards Exposes Student Data Despite Ransom; Extortion Attempts and Investigations Ongoing

A cyberattack on Greater Toronto Area (GTA) school boards compromised student data that was supposed to have been destroyed but was not. The breach, part of a larger 2024 cyber incident affecting schools across the US and Canada, involved a prominent education technology vendor that reportedly paid a ransom to hackers to prevent the publication of tens of millions of children's personal information. Despite the ransom payment, school districts continue to face extortion attempts, including threatening emails targeting teachers demanding payment. Authorities, including police and privacy commissioners, are investigating the school board cyber breaches. Separately, a ransomware attack may have exposed confidential information about survivors of sexual abuse within the Baltimore Archdiocese, where survivors are urged to file lawsuits amid ongoing bankruptcy proceedings.