Hacking threat targeted Monroe City, Morehouse schools

Gov. John Bel Edwards issued a statewide emergency declaration in response to an ongoing cybersecurity attack against local government agencies.

The incident has affected school systems in Monroe City Schools, Morehouse and Sabine parishes.

Monroe City Schools Superintendent Brent Vidrine said the district didn't lose any business services as a result of the attack and the district is still working to scan every computer and server before school starts.

A news release from the state did not say when the other cyber incidents occurred.

The state is working with school systems and local governments to determine if other agencies are at risk.

The emergency declaration allows affected organizations to access state resources and get help to prevent more data loss from the Louisiana National Guard, Louisiana State Police and the Office of Technology Services.

The Governor’s Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness's Crisis Action Team and Emergency Services Function-17 are coordinating the response with the FBI, state agencies and higher education partners.

“The state was made aware of a malware attack on a few north Louisiana school systems and we have been coordinating a response ever since,” Gov. Edwards said. “This is exactly why we established the Cyber Security Commission, focused on preparing for, responding to and preventing cybersecurity attacks, and we are well-positioned to assist local governments as they battle this current threat.”

This is the first time that the commission has been activated since it was established in 2017.

A news release contributed to this report.

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