December 8, 2020
St Mary Technology Support (internal and external specialists) has rebuilt our internal network and restored internet connectivity and the phone system. We have installed enhanced security tools on devices across the network. Our insurance-provided third-party forensic firm continues to investigate the scope and details of the incident; that firm expects to need two more weeks to complete its investigation. Since student and parishioner data are housed in specialized, secure cloud environments, we still believe none of that data was involved in this incident.
November 25, 2020
Dear St. Mary School Families,
St. Mary School recently discovered a security incident in which some of our systems were encrypted. As soon as we learned of the issue, we took immediate actions to protect our systems and data and enhance the security of our platforms. A professional third-party forensic firm has been engaged to investigate and determine the scope of the incident. We have notified law enforcement of the incident. As our investigation continues, we will continue to enhance our security measures to help protect our systems.
Although most student data is hosted in cloud-based services and was therefore not involved in the incident, it is possible that some student projects and assignments may be encrypted and unavailable. To the extent this is the case, teachers will work with the students on extending deadlines. There will be no impact on grades. Further, the school currently does not have phone or Internet service. We are working diligently to restore these services as quickly as possible. For those families who have quarantined students, your teachers will be contacting you directly via email.
We know that this is a concerning issue for all of us. While we believe this is an isolated incident, we are committed to taking steps to assist with the prevention of this type of incident from occurring again.
We thank you for your understanding during this time. Should you have any questions, please direct them to our Parish Administrator, Jeff Rinear / jrinear@smshp.com.
Happy Thanksgiving and God bless all of you,
