Barbour County Schools Shut Off Internet During Possible Cybersecurity Incident

PHILIPPI, W.Va. — It was an old-school kind of Wednesday in Barbour County. The county's school district switched off internet access in every one of its buildings while investigators look into what officials are calling a potential cybersecurity incident.

Superintendent Eddie Vincent announced the investigation in a release from the Barbour County School District. Officials said they started looking into the problem as soon as they learned of the suspicious activity, and they brought in outside forensic specialists to help get to the bottom of it.

As a precaution, internet connectivity across the entire district has been temporarily disabled while that work goes on. The district stressed that all schools and facilities remain open and classes are going on as scheduled.

Vincent said a phishing email that was opened by mistake may be what set things off. He credited the district's technology staff with spotting the issue early, and said the system was shut down before it could affect anything. He also said he reached out to the West Virginia Board of Education when he learned about the problem, and the state asked the district to keep things shut down until the cause is figured out.

Technology staff have been working to isolate any potential spread before bringing systems back online. As of Wednesday afternoon, the district was still waiting on the all-clear to turn the internet back on.

Vincent said this is the kind of situation a school system needs to be ready for at all times. He also found a silver lining, saying it has been refreshing to see teachers and students focused on teaching and learning without the screens for a while.

No details have been released about whether any student, family, or staff information was affected. The district said it will share more updates as appropriate.

What families can do: Phishing emails are one of the most common ways cyber criminals get a foot in the door, at schools and at home. Be wary of unexpected emails asking you to click a link, open an attachment, or enter a password, even if they look like they come from someone you know. When in doubt, call the sender directly to check.

Barbour County parents with questions should reach out to their child's school or the district office. We'll keep an eye on this one and share any updates as the district releases them.