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Richland-Bean Blossom denies claims it was hacked

The Richland-Bean Blossom Community School Corporation denies claims by a hacker group that its data was stolen and shared online. 

The ransomware group BlackSuit released nearly 42 gigabytes data on the dark web in a post linking to the school district’s website. 

But Superintendent Jerry Sanders said in a statement Monday that an investigation by its IT staff and “third-party computer specialists” found no evidence its server was compromised. He also said a preliminary review of the data released by BlackSuit showed it doesn’t appear to belong to the district. 

Nevertheless, Richland-Bean Blossom says law enforcement is investigating. 

News of the alleged hack circulated on a ransomware tracking social media accounts nearly three weeks ago, though local outlets reported on the story last Saturday. 

Sanders said the district became aware of the alleged hack around July 1. 

Recent events raised worries about cyberattacks in Indiana. BlackSuit hacked Monroe County’s government server earlier this month. Clay County is also recovering from a ransomware attack but hasn’t named a culprit. 

Sanders has not responded to WFIU/WTIU’s request for an interview. 

Ethan Sandweiss is a multimedia journalist for Indiana Public Media. He has previously worked with KBOO News as an anchor, producer, and reporter. Sandweiss was raised in Bloomington and graduated from Reed College with a degree in History.