Cobb Schools: alert system malfunction was cyberattack

Shannon Ballew, Marietta Daily Journal, Ga.
·1 min read

Feb. 24—A malfunction that caused multiple false emergency alerts to go out across Cobb County School District schools earlier this month was triggered intentionally, district officials say.

On Feb. 1, a false "code red" alarm was sent to principals and other employees through the district's AlertPoint emergency warning system. All schools in the district went into lockdown.

Police have since found that alarm was intentional, the district said in a release Wednesday.

CCSD's investigation into the incident showed the alarm was triggered intentionally and was district-specific, rather than a wider problem with the AlertPoint system. District staff asked for help from the Cobb County Police Department's Technology Based Crimes Unit, which began investigating the false alarm signal as a possible cyber attack. The police unit determined that it was a targeted, external cyberattack.

District officials do not know why the AlertPoint system was targeted, per the release, but believe it was "to disrupt education across the District, create district-wide chaos, and produce anxiety in the District's students, parents, and staff."

"This was not a 'prank,' nor will it be treated like one," the district said.

Anyone with information related to the cyber attack is asked to please contact the Cobb County Police Department's Tip Line 770-499-4111 or the CCSD Police Department's tip line at 470-689-0298.