Sierra College Experiencing External Ransomware Attack During Finals Week

ROCKLIN (CBS13) — Sierra College officials say an external ransomware attack is to blame for the technical issues preventing people from accessing the school's website and other online systems.

The issues, which were first reported Wednesday morning, are coming at the end of finals week.

The college says they are now working with law enforcement and third-party cybersecurity experts to investigate the attack and bring the systems back online.

"We want our students, their parents, and the Sierra College community to know that we place a high value on maintaining the integrity and security of the data we hold in our systems. We also want everyone to know that we are working diligently to restore operation," the college said in a statement on Thursday.

In a previous statement, the school told CBS13 that students have access to online instructional resources.

Most Sierra students, except for those taking specific labs or specialty courses, are still doing distance learning. The college has said they plan on increasing the number of in-person classes come the Fall 2021 semester.

Sierra's virtual is scheduled for Friday, May 21.