Cyberattack keeps Iowa's largest school district closed
Iowa's largest school district has canceled classes for a second day due to an apparent cyberattack on its computer system
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — An apparent cyberattack on Iowa's largest school district has led officials to cancel classes for 30,000 students for a second day as technicians scramble to protect data and restore the computer system, the district's leader said Tuesday afternoon.
The Des Moines school district's interim superintendent, Matt Smith, said officials received an alert Monday about a possible “cybersecurity event” that led them to cancel classes Tuesday and then to keep schools closed Wednesday. On Tuesday night, the district announced that school would reopen Thursday.
“When our system is down, it impacts every aspect of our organization," Smith said, noting everything from school bus routes to lunch menus are controlled through the computer system.
Smith said it wasn't clear what had happened to the computer system.
