Editor’s Note:
As of Thursday night, Canvas has been restored and is once again accessible for students. University officials said they do not expect disruptions to classes or final exams, but encouraged students to stay in contact with instructors to ensure successful completion of the semester.
On Thursday, May 7, Canvas Instructure was reported to be involved in a nationwide cybersecurity attack affecting universities across the country, including Southeastern and many other schools that use the online learning platform.
A WAFB article reported that, according to a Penn State University student-run newspaper, the cybercriminal group known as ShinyHunters has claimed responsibility for the breach.
The attack is believed to have affected data tied to about 275 million users across nearly 9,000 institutions, according to cybersecurity reporting.
Southeastern notified students and faculty Thursday morning that the university is monitoring the situation and staying in communication with Instructure as more information becomes available.
While reports suggest students and faculty should take caution, university officials emphasized there is currently no indication that passwords, Social Security numbers, financial information or payment data were compromised.
Officials said students should continue preparing for finals through communication with professors for materials, while remaining cautious of suspicious emails, Canvas messages or fake messages related to grades, enrollment or financial aid.
Students are encouraged to check university email and Canvas announcements regularly for updates from professors and the university.
The university also warned students to avoid clicking links in unexpected emails and instead log in directly through Workday or official university websites to verify information.
Southeastern reminded students that staff members will never ask for passwords or approve Google Multi‑factor authentication (MFA) or Okta login requests on a student’s behalf.
Because professors are still using Canvas to post assignments, announcements and exam information, students should continue monitoring course pages closely over the next several days.
Students with urgent concerns should contact their professors, but should avoid flooding faculty inboxes with repeated questions as the situation develops.
At this time Canvas is not functioning, so stay in contact with professors while the investigation into the nationwide breach continues.
