SOUTH LYON, Mich. — The South Lyon Community School District (SLCS) has announced its third consecutive day of school closures following a significant network outage that led to a security incident impacting several systems. The district’s decision to remain closed stems from ongoing efforts to restore its network to a secure and operational state.
Key Details of the South Lyon Community Schools Cybersecurity Incident
The incident, which occurred on Sunday, September 14, prompted the closure of district schools on September 15 and 16. Despite significant progress in addressing the issue, Superintendent Steve Archibald informed families in an email late Tuesday evening that schools would not reopen on September 17, reports Hometown Life.
The message, which followed a regular school board meeting, highlighted the inability to ensure system security and communication to safely resume classes.
Related Article: 6 Ways to Improve Cyber Security and Internet Safety on Your Campus
The primary concern leading to the closure is the compromise of the ALICE (Alert, Lockdown, Inform, Counter, Evacuate) protocol, a critical safety program used for responding to incidents such as active shooter situations.
Additionally, as of Tuesday evening, phone systems within the district remained non-functional, underscoring the severity of the network issues.
SLCS Superintendent Addresses Security and Data Concerns
In addressing concerns about data security, Archibald assured that there is no evidence of student or faculty data being compromised. The district’s data is stored through a third-party provider on a cloud-based network, separate from the affected systems. This separation offers some reassurance regarding the protection of sensitive information amid the ongoing crisis.
The South Lyon Community Schools incident highlights the increasing vulnerability of educational institutions to cyber attacks and network failures. As schools become more dependent on digital systems, maintaining robust cyber security measures is crucial.
