National Canvas Data Breach
Here at Heartland we utilize a learning-management system (LMS) to structure our blended and digital learning environments. Learning management systems are common place in today's classrooms and are used for a wide range of tasks that might include posting assignments, digitally submitting student work, posting lessons, etc.
The LMS that we use here at Heartland is called Canvas. Canvas is a commonly used learning management system utilized in both K-12 and post-secondary settings. This week information officers from the company that publishes Canvas (Instructure Holdings Inc.) informed us that Instructure Inc. was recently the target of a malicious data penetration by a criminal actor. The threat was identified by Instructure on April 25th and then seemingly nullified by April 30th. Data from schools from across the country was gathered in the incident, and information officers from Instructure Inc. notified Heartland personnel on May 6th that some of our local data was gathered as a result of the cyber-attack. Local data gathered in the Canvas breach was limited to name, email address, and SIS ID numbers. SIS ID numbers are local identification numbers assigned to students that allow learning management systems to communicate with local student information systems. SIS ID numbers are not connected to any personal information other than name (e.g. they're not connected to any date of birth, social security, or mailing address information).
Local and ESU personnel have verified that there have been no penetration attempts to our own local network following the incident with Canvas. Furthermore, individual Heartland Canvas accounts cannot be accessed with the information that was obtained during Instructure's data breach, and indications are that there is zero, or minimal, threat of identity theft to our students or staff associated with the recent data breach at Instructure Inc.