Canvas Learning Platform Outage After ShinyHunters Claims Data Breach Affecting Schools

Canvas Platform Experiences Major Outage Following Alleged Data Breach

The Instructure-owned learning management platform, Canvas, is currently down after the company confirmed a massive data breach that exposed sensitive student information, including names, email addresses, ID numbers, and messages.

On Thursday, students attempting to access the platform encountered a message from the hacking group ShinyHunters, which claimed responsibility for the cyberattack. The group stated:

ShinyHunters has breached Instructure (again). Instead of contacting us to resolve it, they ignored us and did some "security patches." If any of the schools in the affected list are interested in preventing the release of their data, please consult with a cyber advisory firm and contact us privately at TOX to …

Timeline of the Incident

• Recent Breach: Canvas confirmed a data breach impacting student and institutional data.
• Platform Outage: Students reported difficulties accessing the system on Thursday.
• ShinyHunters’ Claim: The hacking group took credit for the breach and warned of potential data leaks.

Previous Breach and Security Concerns

This is not the first time ShinyHunters has targeted Instructure. The group previously claimed responsibility for a breach in 2020, raising concerns about the platform’s security measures and response protocols.

What’s Next for Affected Schools?

The hacking group has urged schools to consult cybersecurity experts and contact them privately to discuss potential data protection measures. The full extent of the breach and the number of affected institutions remain under investigation.

For further updates, follow coverage from The Verge.