The Alabama State Department of Education recently experienced a cyber attack, according to Superintendent Eric Mackey. The attack was stopped by the state’s internet security workers, but some student and teacher data was breached. Mackey stated that the department is investigating to determine the extent of the breach and is working with various agencies to strengthen cybersecurity and identify compromised data.
While the nature of the breached data was not disclosed, Mackey mentioned that personally identifiable information like names, addresses, and Social Security numbers could have been accessed. Financial information such as credit card numbers was not part of the breach.
Fortunately, the security staff was able to prevent the hackers from fully breaching the department’s servers and re-encrypting the system to demand ransom. All data have been restored using backups, and Mackey emphasized that the department will not pay hackers for any breached data.
Mackey encourages educators to monitor their credit as a precaution. The department will notify relevant parties once the details of the data breach are confirmed and comply with notification laws and best practices.
For more information, individuals and the media can visit the department’s landing page or email questions to the provided address. Mackey expressed regret for the limited information shared but reiterated the department’s commitment to cybersecurity and data protection.
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