Local Districts Deal with Cybersecurity Attacks

You may have heard on the news that several local school districts have recently experienced cybersecurity attacks affecting different systems. So far the districts have included 219, 207, 211, 214, and 113. The Barrington 220 tech team and administration have been in communication with these districts and others, and we are working together to prevent future cybersecurity attacks.

Although Barrington 220 has not been affected at this time, these attacks on our neighbors are a reminder to us to continue to be aware of potential phishing attacks and report them immediately. 

As a reminder, here are some of the things to remember that may indicate you have a phishing email:

• Is it a legitimate message? 
• Were you expecting the message?
• Is the message from who you think it is? 
• Does the message convey a sense of urgency? 
• Was the message sent to a group of people, including some you do not know? 
• Was the message sent at an odd time of day? 
• Does the message make you uneasy?

If you encounter a phishing message, please submit it to Google so we can act upon it. Click the three vertical dots (the “snowman” as some call it) in the upper-right corner of your Gmail browser window and click Report phishing.

Meanwhile, the Barrington 220 tech team is actively reviewing our systems based upon the information we are learning from affected districts. If additional mitigation efforts are required, we will apply them to our systems and contact staff if necessary.