Pembina Trails searching for malware in thousands of school division computers after cyberattack

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This article was published 03/01/2025 (253 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Pembina Trails School Division’s IT department has been searching thousands of computers for malware in an investigation into a cyberattack that began Dec. 2.

The computers are located in the southwest Winnipeg division’s 36 schools and administration buildings, Pembina Trails said in an update published on its website Dec. 30.

“Each unit is being checked for malware and loaded with a top-performing security tool,” the division said.

Pembina Trails said law enforcement and the Manitoba Ombudsman were notified of the “cyber incident.” The incident was reported to the Winnipeg Police Service on Dec. 9, said spokeswoman Const. Dani McKinnon.

The division had not yet fully recovered from the attack as of Dec. 30.

“School systems such as PA and phones have been restored. The team is continuing to work on restoring printers,” Pembina Trails said. “The investigation into the cybersecurity incident is ongoing.”

The division has said a database containing students’ personal information and photos was accessed, while a database containing staff payroll information, including bank account information and social insurance numbers, could have been accessed by an “unauthorized third party.”

Pembina Trails has not said how the division’s network was infiltrated. Sources previously told the Free Press a form of malware, or malicious software, was to blame.

When installed or downloaded, malware allows hackers to infiltrate networks, systems and devices to steal sensitive information.

Pembina Trails brought in outside experts and took systems offline in a bid to contain the attack. The division said there was no evidence data was leaked or published online as of earlier this week.

fpcity@freepress.mb.ca