NewsNorthern Arizona NewsFlagstaff News

Actions

Ransomware attack closes Flagstaff schools for second straight day

KNXV Flagstaff Unified School District.jpeg
Posted at 6:29 PM, Sep 04, 2019
and last updated 2019-09-05 23:14:50-04

FLAGSTAFF, AZ — Schools in the Flagstaff Unified School District will be closed for a second straight day Friday as administrators and staff work to resolve a ransomware attack.

The issue "has impacted the ability of FUSD schools to operate normally," the district said.

In an email from the district, officials said other programs, including FACTS, childcare centers and district preschools would also not be held Friday.

On Thursday morning, Zachery Fountain, director of communications for the district, told ABC15 Mornings in a phone interview that the district was hit with a ransomware attack. He said, as of right now, it does not appear that any personal information of the district's students or staff had been compromised.

You can watch the interview with Zachery Fountain in the player above.

Because of the cyber attack, Fountain said the district had to shut down some of its systems, which would prevent it from conducting day-to-day business, and forced the district to cancel classes for Thursday and Friday. He declined to say which systems were specifically affected, citing the ongoing investigation.

"Progress was made today in securing critical FUSD systems, but unfortunately, work will need to continue through the weekend to ensure that students can return to school on Monday," the district said in a statement announcing the Friday closure.