MURFREESBORO, Tenn. (WTVF) — The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation is getting involved after Rutherford County Schools announced a network hack shortly after Thanksgiving break.
Now parents are taking matters into their own hands to keep their families safe.
The internet is still offline at Rutherford County Schools, shut down after a network disruption. And at least one parent said while learning is of concern, he said his family is lending attention to protecting their household.
“Has personal information been divulged, and you know should we be taking specific steps to protect that information,” said parent Brian Cihak.
It was the question running through his mind after a robocall alerted parents and staff to a "network disruption."
Cihak works in IT, so he knows these days it's not a matter of if a hack will happen but when. The stakes are higher though when it involves the safety of his children.
“You want to make sure that they’re safe and one of the ways to do that is financially and computer security,” said Cihak.
He took the steps he would advise other parents: use a password manager to catalog your unique passwords and freeze affected accounts with credit bureaus.
“If you are vulnerable, it’s not because it’s you. It’s because you’re vulnerable, and they can get in and try. The bigger you are, the more money they can try and get out of you,” said Cihak.
RCS Superintendent Jimmy Sullivan said he wanted to address the issue at a recent school board meeting.
He was limited in what he could say given the investigation but assured families they are following all precautions.
“To date, we're not aware of unauthorized access to any employee or student personal information,” said Sullivan.
Cihak's student already followed directions to turn in his laptop and leave it at school until further instructions.
“Probably for security upgrades,” he said knowing the real consequences of this "disruption” have yet to be fully revealed.
The TBI didn't add much information about the investigation other than saying they are assisting.
