Already dealing with hybrid learning, Wall Township School District must now overcome cyber-attack

A cyber-attack is just the latest issue the Wall Township School District has been dealing with, in addition to hybrid learning, since the start of the new school year.

News 12 Staff

Oct 27, 2020, 3:15 PM

Updated 1,504 days ago

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A cyber-attack is just the latest issue the Wall Township School District has been dealing with, in addition to hybrid learning, since the start of the new school year.
Wall School Board President Ralph Addonizio says the district’s internet provider, Altice, which is also News 12 New Jersey’s parent company, is working with the New Jersey Cybersecurity and Communications Integration Cell based in Trenton, after it was determined the district was the target of a cyber-attack.  
“Our security measures we have in place, we’re working 100% and since then we have upgraded our security in addition to what we had and amplified just to protect everything,” says Addonizio. 
The district has been experiencing intermittent internet connectivity issues over the past week, which has negatively affected access to the school district’s computers.
“We have virtual teachers that are strictly for each virtual student because we have that option and for today and tomorrow, those teachers are going to be teaching from home because [it’s] more reliable Internet,” says Addonizio.
Superintendent of Schools Tracy Handerhan sent out a letter to parents and students informing them that after looking into the issue, it was determined the school was cyber attacked. She went on to say the district’s firewall has not been penetrated, and now the district will upgrade the firewall to prevent issues in the future. They hope to return to normal hybrid learning immediately.   
There is no word yet on who is responsible for the cyber-attack.