(TNS) — The international crime organization that on Oct. 17 launched the cyber attack on Jerome School District had asked for a ransom that was “way too much.”With guidance from the FBI, the district did not pay. Because of their decision, there is a risk that some data may be published on the dark web.“We just don’t have money coming out of our ears, much less to pay to criminals,” Brent Johnson, the district’s superintendent, told the Times-News. “There’s also, philosophically, I don’t want to pay criminals at all.”He did not disclose the ransom amount.Schools closed for two days and opened Oct. 21 with “old school” learning. Devices were returned to teachers and students after being thoroughly checked by third-party experts. The district continues working with third-party experts to complete the investigation.On the day of the attack, the district received internal alarms and heard from some teachers that their computer screens displayed a ransomware message, Johnson said.He said that the technical team quickly contained it to get systems online so that devices can function and be restored safely.Johnson did not disclose the name of the organization responsible for the attack because he doesn’t want to give “notoriety or fame for this type of criminal activity.”If data is leaked on the dark web, Johnson said the district will comply with state and federal reporting.Superintendent Brent Johnson speaks about the recent cyber attack the school district is dealing with Thursday, Oct. 29, 2026, in Jerome.“Although our core systems remained secure, some data from local machines was compromised,” Johnson said in an email to parents. “This is why a lengthy forensic investigation is underway to determine the exact extent of data loss.”Joshua Quirk has two children who attend Frontier Elementary School. He’s worried about the recent update.“Hopefully our children’s information isn’t sold, and their credit isn’t damaged when they turn 18,” Quirk told the Times-News. “This is complete negligence …”The district sent an email to parents Wednesday with the following recommendations:Place a credit freeze with Equifax, Experian and TransUnion to protect students’ dataUse a guest Wi-Fi for school-issued Chromebooks or tablets at home to isolate them from other devicesBookmark school portals for logins instead of clicking on links in unsolicited emails or textsDon’t reuse passwords across school, personal and work accountsAlthough only Jerome schools were targeted, cyber attacks are common in school districts. In a 2025 study conducted by the Center for Internet Security, they found that “82 percent of K-12 schools experienced cyber threat impacts.”In response to the Times-News’ reporting of a teacher who said the district wasn’t being transparent, Johnson said it’s difficult to speak with the large number of teachers he oversees.“We always try and communicate transparently, and as much as we can, but I am unable to have a personal conversation with the thousands of people that I’m responsible for on a daily basis,” Johnson said. “So that’s tough.”After the cyber attack, the district worked to complete the job. Staff worked in coffee shops, cars and “weird places,” he said.“I want the community to know that we’ve done proactive things,” Johnson said. “We continue to learn and grow, and these people are very good at what they do.”The Jerome School District closed schools for two days after a cyber attack compromised its technology infrastructure, resuming classes by using traditional teaching methods without digital tools.© 2026 The Times-News (Twin Falls, Idaho). Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
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