What happens when the app students rely on for homework, exams and late-night assignment uploads suddenly turns into the centre of a global cyberattack?
Panic, confusion — and a race to stop private data from spilling online.
That’s exactly what unfolded after hackers linked to the notorious group ShinyHunters claimed they stole 6.65 terabytes of data.
From Instructure’s learning platform Canvas. It affected nearly 9,000 schools worldwide.
The hackers alleged they had access to names, emails, student IDs and even private messages between students and teachers.
Their message was blunt: schools could contact them directly to “negotiate” before the data was leaked.
As final exams and assignments loom, campuses across the US have been scrambling.
Cyberattack Disrupts Schools
Some schools reportedly even reached out to the hackers in hopes of protecting sensitive information.
Meanwhile, the Federal Bureau of Investigation confirmed it was investigating a cyberattack disrupting the education sector.
Instructure says the breach stemmed from an issue tied to its “Free-for-Teacher” service, which has now been shut down temporarily.
The company insists Canvas is back online and functioning normally.
Still, for millions of students, the incident has exposed an uncomfortable truth: classrooms may be digital now, but so are the risks.
And in today’s world, even homework comes with cybersecurity concerns attached.
