Richmond schools superintendent responds after student and staff data from cyberattack appears on dark web

RICHMOND, Va. — Richmond Public Schools Superintendent Jason Kamras says the school division is working to support families and staff after confirming that personal information obtained during a recent cybersecurity breach was posted on the dark web.

Speaking Thursday, Kamras acknowledged the anxiety the announcement has caused for the school community and said the division is trying to share information as it becomes available.

“We understand the anxiety that these kinds of incidents can cause for families, for staff, for our students, of course,” Kamras said. “That is why we have first and foremost tried to be as transparent as humanly possible.”

Kamras said the people potentially impacted include both current and former students and employees.

As of 9 a.m. Thursday, the school division began offering free credit monitoring to current and former employees, as well as current and former students.

An update sent to parents Wednesday outlined the types of information threat actors claim to have accessed. That information includes, but is not limited to, dates of birth, home addresses, phone numbers, passport numbers, Social Security numbers and limited medical information.

The announcement comes weeks after the cyberattack disrupted the school division's online systems and affected teachers' access to digital resources.

Kamras said the technology team has established an alternative network that teachers can access through Chromebooks. While he acknowledged it is not as robust as the division's usual system, he said it has allowed core classroom instruction to continue.

School Board Chair Shavonda Fernandez said the incident highlights a broader cybersecurity issue facing school systems across Virginia.

She noted that Richmond is the third school division in the Commonwealth to experience an incident of this magnitude and said more advocacy and investment are needed statewide.

Kamras also pointed to the growing role of artificial intelligence in making cyberattacks easier for bad actors to carry out. He said protecting school systems will require national leadership and support.

Kamras declined to comment on whether a ransom demand was made, saying the incident remains under investigation.

The school division says it will continue providing updates as more information becomes available.

Parents, students and staff can visit the division's website for information about the incident, including the credit monitoring enrollment information and a number to call with questions.

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