Alamo Heights ISD restores internet after ransomware attack | #ransomware | #cybercrime

Alamo Heights Independent School District confirmed that a ransomware attack caused the district’s multi-day internet outage last week. The district first lost internet connection on Monday and announced the restoration of its technology systems Friday afternoon. 

A team of third-party forensic specialists working with the the district’s information technology team informed AHISD that the incident was contained. But the investigation into the scope of the issue remains ongoing, according to a message Superintendent Dana Bashara sent to district staff and families Friday. 

In her message, Bashara said the district reported the incident to the FBI and took immediate action to secure the network once it learned of the issue. During the outage, the district was without internet connectivity and Google Apps, like Google Classroom and Gmail. The outage did not affect door security systems or district phones.

“We have launched a thorough review process with external experts to determine if any sensitive information was accessed during this incident,” Bashara said in her message. “Due to the complexity of these incidents, investigations are labor-intensive and typically take several weeks to complete following restoration.”

Cybersecurity attacks on school districts have become increasingly more common in recent years. In January 2025, a data breach at the Dallas Independent School District compromised personal information in its PowerSchool software system. 

Alamo Heights ISD is still working to identify the full scope of the information involved.

District officials did not immediately respond to questions about if personal data was affected in the attack or if the district paid any ransom to attackers.

Despite the technology outage, teachers, students and staff found creative ways to continue their work, Bashara wrote in the Friday message.