Op-Ed: The cyberattack on Los Angeles schools could happen anywhere
The attack on Los Angeles School District came just weeks after a cyberattack on a Florida elementary school. Experts say the current cyberattacks are just the beginning
As the nation begins to grapple with the worst cyberattack since the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, which caused widespread disruption and disrupted government programs, a new wave of attacks is now being launched. The latest cyberattack, on Tuesday morning, knocked out much of the school system in Los Angeles and shut down the city’s water supply for more than four hours.
So far the nation has suffered no major loss of life, and no major property damage, but officials are keeping a close eye on what’s happening. And for the time being, there’s not much that can be done.
The Los Angeles School District, a suburb that has seen its share of cyberattacks, believes this latest attack is a precursor to something worse. Officials say if it were to happen anywhere in the country, it would be difficult to contain.
“It’s kind of like a new flu virus – if an individual had this new flu virus it would not be easy to identify and fight a new one,” said Los Angeles Deputy Superintendent of Schools Bill Dorman. “Right now the best way to protect our students is to maintain the status quo and allow their schools to continue to run as normal.”
Experts say the attacks, both of which have been widely discussed on the Internet, are just a prelude to more widespread cyberattacks against U.S. government agencies.
“This was a preliminary attack,” Dorman said. “It’s not quite as bad as Sept. 11, but we’re seeing a new type of cyberattack that is more damaging to our students than the Sept. 11 attack was, and that’s not good.”
“We’re seeing a cyberattack that is similar to what we saw on the Florida school system last week,” added Dorman. “It’s a new wave of cyberattack. It’s not necessarily directed against particular companies; it’s more a general attack on all sectors of the United States government. And at this point, we’re not sure of the scope of the attack. We’re still learning what we�