Gadsden Independent School District in New Mexico Responds to Ransomware Attack
The Gadsden Independent School District in Santa Teresa, New Mexico, encountered a ransomware attack on its network infrastructure on Tuesday afternoon, which highlighted the ongoing vulnerability of educational systems to cyber threats. The incident, detected around 2 p.m., prompted the district to take immediate action to secure its systems and mitigate the attack's potential impact. Despite the invasive nature of the breach, the district has assured that student and employee data remained secure, stating that "neither student nor employee data has been compromised during this incident." The district swiftly implemented response measures, advising all teachers and staff to shut down their computing devices and disconnect from the network, a critical step to safeguarding the network's integrity. Fortunately, student Chromebooks were not affected by the attack, and network access for students was expected to be restored by Wednesday. The district is working urgently to restore normal operations and has committed to keeping the community informed as the situation progresses. The swift and comprehensive response reflects the district's ongoing commitment to information security and its determination to fortify against future cyber threats.