Ransomware Behind Cyber Attack On Souderton Area School District

SOUDERTON, PA — The recent cyber attack on Souderton Area School District's network was due to ransomware, school officials confirmed in a statement issued on Monday.

The revelation comes about a week after the attack, which came just days after the start of the 2019-20 school year.

Ransomware is typically used to lock certain files on computers or servers so that no one else can access them.

Immediately after they became aware of the attack, the district shut down their entire network and disabled all Internet connections to prevent any further damage.

"The safety of students and staff is our highest priority," the district said in a statement. "While there will be some inconvenience as we recover critical systems and restore service, there is no threat to the safety of students or staff. Parents should also be reassured that systems containing financial information are housed off-site and have not been affected."

The source of the attack remains unclear. The FBI, Department of Homeland Security, Secret Service, and a local cybersecurity firm are all working with the district on the investigation.

As of Monday, the attack was still causing technological disruptions. For urgent matters, parents should call the school directly.

The district is working to get all systems online, but they're not sure exactly when that will be. In a statement, Superintendent of Schools Frank Gallagher said that they are hopeful it will be soon.

No disruptions to the district's school calendar are anticipated as a result of the attack.