JeffCo Schools hacker demands money, threatens to release stolen data
The hacker group SingularityMD threatened to upload sensitive employee and student information to the dark web if JeffCo Public Schools didn’t pay a $15,000 ransom in cryptocurrency, The Denver Gazette has learned.
“Your overall approach to cyber security is too relaxed,” Anihi Blep, likely an alias, wrote in an Oct. 31 email to several district executives, including Superintendent Tracy Dorland.
Hundreds of parents received a copy of the email from the hackers.
According to emails obtained by The Denver Gazette, the hackers gave district officials until 5 p.m. on Nov. 7 to comply.
With the deadline quickly approaching, the hackers emailed district officials shortly before 4:30 on Nov. 7, reducing the extortion amount to $2,000.
“The deadline is fast approaching,” Anihi Blep wrote. “Your team is still resetting passwords and has not reset them all as yet.”
It’s unclear whether the district paid the ransom.
Kimberly Eloe Mahugh, a district spokesperson, declined to comment. She previously directed The Denver Gazette to an online statement, which was updated earlier this week.
According to the district, law enforcement is investigating an unspecified cyber-attack after JeffCo Public Schools staff received an email on Oct. 31.