Schools in two Michigan counties will be closed for a third day because of a ransomware attack that has disabled its technology network.
The system outage has affected the Jackson County (Mich.) Intermediate school district, which provides technology services to school systems in Jackson and Hillsdale counties.
MLive.com reports that the cyberattack has affected heating, telephones and classroom technology at numerous schools.
“Everything’s connected into the network, and basically, if it plugs in a wall, it’s pretty much connected into a network,” said Kevin Oxley, superintendent of the intermediate district. “It’s everything from HVAC systems to phones. When you don’t have phones and dependable HVAC, you really can’t have school.”
The ransomware attack occurred during the weekend of Nov. 12 and 13.
Ransomware is a form of malware designed to encrypt files on a device, rendering any files and the systems that rely on them unusable. Malicious actors then demand ransom in exchange for decryption.
