Clark County Schools Reports Computer Ransomware Attack

The Clark County School District says its computer system was infected by a ransomware attack during the first week of school and some employee personal information may have been exposed.

The district said Tuesday that a virus infected some computer systems on Aug. 27 and prohibited access to some files.

The district says current and former employees may have been affected and officials are notifying those whose names and Social Security numbers were stored in the system.

It’s unclear if any files containing sensitive information were accessed or obtained. The district is working with law enforcement and forensic investigators to determine the scope of the breach.

Those who have been potentially affected were advised to review their financial accounts and credit reports for fraud or suspicious activity.

Ransomware can target individuals, businesses or governments and essential involves an attack that holds a computer or computer system hostage by encrypting its files and demanding payment, often via bitcoin.

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