Richmond Schools respond as cyberattack data hits the dark web: 'Deeply disturbed'

RICHMOND, Va. — Richmond Public Schools says some personal information stolen in a recent cyberattack has shown up on the dark web, and the district is now offering free identity monitoring to more people.

In a letter to families and staff, district leaders said the people behind the attack claim they accessed information belonging to current students, former students, staff and contractors. That information may include phone numbers, addresses, driver's license numbers and Social Security numbers.

The district said it was "deeply disturbed" by the crime and knows how worrying the news is for families.

"We are deeply disturbed by this criminal act, and we understand how concerning it is to learn that personal information may have been compromised," the district said in the letter.

The letter said the stolen records could also include dates of birth, passport numbers, military identification numbers, health insurance numbers and limited medical information.

The investigation is still going on. Just two days after discovering the attack, the district offered free identity monitoring to current students and employees. It is now expanding that offer to include former students and former employees. People can enroll through the district's website.

The district also said its technology team has made strong progress in bringing its systems back online.

"We are pleased to share that our Technology Services team has made significant progress in restoring our systems," the district said.

The district said its core technology is working again and more systems will come back online over time. Leaders warned there may still be a few bumps during the recovery.

The district said it is working with cybersecurity experts, law enforcement and government partners to strengthen its defenses. It thanked the Virginia State Police's Virginia Fusion Center and the FBI Cyber Crimes Division for their help with the investigation.