Richmond Public Schools ransomware attack forces district network offline

Richmond Public Schools in Virginia, serving about 22,000 students across 53 campuses, experienced a ransomware attack that began on Wednesday, October 21, 2026. Employees found ransom notes on district laptops claiming network access, extraction of personal, financial and operational data, and encryption of critical files, with a 72 hour deadline to contact the attackers. Superintendent Jason Kamras confirmed a cybersecurity incident, took internet access offline as a precaution, and said phone and email service and online classroom tools were limited while schools stayed open in a technology free environment.

In an update on Thursday, October 22, Kamras said internet access remained offline, front office phones were back online, and the district was working with outside cybersecurity experts and law enforcement to determine whether personal information was affected. The district has not confirmed the attackers claim of data theft. If personal information was impacted, the district said it will notify those affected and offer free credit monitoring. No record count has been stated, so this is prepared as a Cybersecurity item, not a Breaches add.

Sources: The Richmonder; GovTech; Cybernews