School Ransomware Attacks Expose Students' Private Records, Causing Lasting Trauma

Confidential documents containing sensitive details about students have been stolen from schools and published online by ransomware gangs.
The Minneapolis Public Schools refused to pay a $1 million ransom, resulting in the dumping of over 300,000 private files online.
Schools are prime targets for hackers due to abundant digitized data but often lack resources to defend themselves or help victims.
There is no federal law requiring schools to notify individuals of data breaches, leaving many unaware their records have been exposed.
The public disclosure of private details can have devastating and long-term effects on the wellbeing and careers of students, staff, and parents.