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Instructure Reaches Agreement with Hackers to Delete Stolen Canvas Data

Instructure Reaches Agreement with Hackers to Delete Stolen Canvas Data

Instructure, the company behind the Canvas online learning platform, has reached an agreement with hackers to delete data stolen during a recent cyberattack. The breach, claimed by the hacking group ShinyHunters, affected nearly 9,000 schools and 275 million individuals worldwide. The hackers threatened to leak the data unless a ransom was paid by May 6, but later extended the deadline. Instructure confirmed that the data was returned and received digital confirmation of its destruction. However, the company acknowledged the uncertainty of complete data erasure. The breach involved student ID numbers, email addresses, and messages, but not sensitive information like passwords or financial data. The incident caused significant disruption, locking students and faculty out of the platform during finals.

Instructure Reaches Agreement with Hackers Following Data Breach

Instructure Reaches Agreement with Hackers Following Data Breach

Instructure, the company behind the Canvas learning platform, has announced an agreement with the hacker group ShinyHunters, which attacked its systems twice. The initial attack occurred on April 29, during which the hackers claimed to have stolen personal data of approximately 275 million students and staff. The group later attacked again, defacing login pages on school websites to pressure Instructure. The company has stated that the hackers provided evidence of deleting the stolen data and assured that customers would no longer face blackmail. However, Instructure did not disclose the financial terms of the agreement or confirm if any payment was made. The U.S. government and security experts generally advise against paying cybercriminals, as it may encourage further criminal activities.

Cyberattack on Canvas System Disrupts Thousands of Schools, Restores Access Amidst Chaos

Cyberattack on Canvas System Disrupts Thousands of Schools, Restores Access Amidst Chaos

A cyberattack on the Canvas online learning system caused widespread disruption across schools and universities, affecting tens of thousands of students preparing for final exams. The attack, claimed by the hacking group ShinyHunters, led to panic as students and faculty were locked out of the platform, which is essential for managing grades and accessing course materials. Instructure, the company behind Canvas, took the system offline to investigate and contain the breach, later restoring access for most users. The attack exploited vulnerabilities in Free-For-Teacher accounts, prompting Instructure to temporarily shut down these accounts. The breach highlighted the vulnerability of educational institutions to cyber threats, as hackers accessed sensitive data and threatened to leak it unless schools negotiated settlements.

Developer of education tool Canvas issues apology after hack

Developer of education tool Canvas issues apology after hack

By Kanishka Singh WASHINGTON, May 11 (Reuters) - The developer of Canvas, widely used by U.S. institutions for grades and class materials, issued an apology after a hack that blocked students from accessing the education tool and involved student data being stolen by a cybercriminal hacking group.

Canvas' parent company reaches agreement with hacking group behind recent breach

Canvas' parent company reaches agreement with hacking group behind recent breach

By AJ Vicens May 12 (Reuters) - The hacking group that targeted the Canvas educational tool and the parent company that owns the software struck a deal to secure stolen student and school data, the company said in a statement late Monday.

ShinyHunters Launches Ransom Campaign Against Educational Institutions

ShinyHunters Launches Ransom Campaign Against Educational Institutions

The ShinyHunters ransomware group has intensified its extortion campaign against educational institutions following a data breach at Instructure, the company behind the Canvas Learning Management System. The breach, which occurred on April 25, resulted in the theft of approximately 275 million records from 8,809 institutions. ShinyHunters exploited a vulnerability in the Free-For-Teacher version of Canvas, exfiltrating over 3.65 TB of data. The group initially demanded a ransom by May 8, threatening to leak the data if not paid. With the deadline passed, they have begun targeting individual schools with extortion demands, threatening to release data by May 12 if settlements are not reached.

Instructure Confirms Canvas Security Breach, Impacting Educational Institutions

Instructure Confirms Canvas Security Breach, Impacting Educational Institutions

Instructure, the developer of the Canvas learning management system, has confirmed a security breach that allowed hackers to exploit vulnerabilities and deface login portals. The breach involved cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerabilities, enabling attackers to gain authenticated admin sessions. This incident followed an initial breach where hackers stole over 3.6 terabytes of data. The attackers, identified as ShinyHunters, used the same vulnerability to pressure Instructure into paying a ransom by defacing portals with extortion messages. The breach affected the Free-for-Teacher environment, a limited version of Canvas used by individual educators. Instructure has since taken steps to revoke unauthorized access, engage forensic experts, and apply additional safeguards.

Universities Postpone Final Exams Following Canvas Hack, Affecting Students Nationwide

Universities Postpone Final Exams Following Canvas Hack, Affecting Students Nationwide

Colleges and universities across the United States have postponed final exams and assignment deadlines due to a hack on Canvas, a widely used learning management system. The disruption affected 41% of North American higher education institutions. The University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and Baylor University are among those that have rescheduled exams, with Baylor planning to restore access to its Canvas system after the company, Instructure, resolved the issue. Arizona State University and the University of California System have also taken precautionary measures, with the latter temporarily blocking Canvas access until security is assured. The hack, claimed by the criminal group ShinyHunters, reportedly compromised personal information for millions of students and employees worldwide. Instructure has since restored Canvas but has temporarily shut down its Free-For-Teacher accounts to prevent further unauthorized access.

Cyberattack on Canvas Learning System Puts Millions of Student and Teacher Data at Risk

Cyberattack on Canvas Learning System Puts Millions of Student and Teacher Data at Risk

A significant cyberattack has targeted Instructure, the company behind the Canvas learning management system, which is widely used by K-12 schools and universities across the United States. The hacking group ShinyHunters has claimed responsibility for the breach, which has potentially compromised data from millions of students and teachers. The attack was discovered on April 29, 2026, and has led to disruptions in educational institutions, particularly during the critical period of final exams. Instructure has taken Canvas offline to investigate and contain the breach, affecting many schools' ability to conduct online learning. The compromised data includes names, email addresses, and student identification numbers, though there is no evidence yet of more sensitive information like Social Security numbers being accessed. The incident has prompted some school districts to temporarily disable access to Canvas as a precautionary measure.

Canvas System Restored After Cyberattack Disrupts Schools Nationwide

Canvas System Restored After Cyberattack Disrupts Schools Nationwide

The Canvas online learning platform, used by thousands of schools globally, has been restored following a cyberattack that disrupted access for students and educators. The attack, claimed by the hacking group ShinyHunters, affected nearly 9,000 schools, compromising billions of private messages and records. The breach occurred as students were preparing for final exams, causing widespread panic and confusion. Instructure, the company behind Canvas, took the system offline to contain the breach and investigate. The attack exploited vulnerabilities in Free-For-Teacher accounts, which have been temporarily disabled. The incident highlights the increasing vulnerability of educational institutions to cyber threats.

Cyberattack on Canvas Disrupts Schools, Raises Security Concerns

Cyberattack on Canvas Disrupts Schools, Raises Security Concerns

A cyberattack on Instructure, the company behind the Canvas learning management system, has compromised data from numerous K-12 schools and universities across the U.S. The hacking group ShinyHunters claims responsibility, threatening to leak the data. The breach has led to significant disruptions, particularly as many institutions are in the midst of final exams. Instructure has taken Canvas offline to investigate and mitigate the breach, affecting schools nationwide. The attack is part of a broader trend of increasing cyber threats against educational institutions, highlighting vulnerabilities in digital learning platforms.

Cyberattack on Canvas Disrupts College Final Exams Across the U.S.

Cyberattack on Canvas Disrupts College Final Exams Across the U.S.

A cyberattack on Canvas, an online platform used by schools and universities for managing exams and coursework, has caused significant disruptions during the final exam period. The attack, claimed by the hacking group ShinyHunters, led to an outage that affected many institutions across the country. Instructure, the parent company of Canvas, reported that the platform was restored for most users by late Thursday. However, some schools have continued to restrict access as a precaution. The breach involved student ID numbers, email addresses, and other personal data, though no financial information was reportedly compromised.