Highline Public Schools in WA to stay closed Tuesday due to ongoing cyberattack

KING COUNTY, Wash. - Highline Public Schools will remain closed on Tuesday, Sept. 10, as the district continues to investigate unauthorized activity on its technology systems. All school activities, athletics, and meetings are canceled, though the central office will remain open.

This marks the second consecutive day of closures for the district, which initially shut down all schools on Monday after detecting potential cybersecurity issues. The district has not disclosed whether the unauthorized activity posed a direct threat to students or staff, but emphasized that student safety is the top priority.

"We understand canceling school is a significant disruption for our families and staff, but student safety remains our top priority," Highline Public Schools stated in an announcement on its website.

The district’s investigation into the unauthorized activity is ongoing, and critical systems are still offline. Highline Public Schools has committed to providing further updates as more information becomes available about the nature of the incident and its impact on technology systems.

During the closure, school administrators and central office staff are expected to report to work. Families and staff have been directed to a link provided by the district outlining staff expectations during the closure.

Highline Public Schools is asking for patience and understanding as they work through this disruption. Parents, students, and staff are encouraged to stay tuned for updates and additional guidance from the district.

Parents: Here’s How to Keep Your Child’s Information Safe After a Breach

Corey Nachreiner, Chief Security Officer at WatchGuard and a recognized leader in IT security, stresses that the increasing digital dependence of K-12 schools makes districts like Highline particularly vulnerable to cyber attacks.

"Parents should not panic right now. Eventually, the school will share more information about what happened," Nachreiner advised. If a breach occurred, he emphasized, the district is legally required to inform affected parties.

Nachreiner’s advice to parents: freeze your credit if you’re not actively taking out a loan or buying a house. "This helps ensure no one can use your child's information to open a new account," he said. 

He also recommends using multi-factor authentication to safeguard your identity, particularly on banking websites.

For any further inquiries or details on staff expectations during the closure, visit the Highline Public Schools website.

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