A ransomware group called LockBit yesterday took credit for a cyber attack earlier this month on Alcorn School District in Mississippi.
The school district announced on March 1 that it disabled its network due to suspicious activity disrupting its systems.
LockBit claimed responsibility for the attack on its data leak site and demanded Alcorn Schools pay an undisclosed amount in ransom within two weeks.
Alcorn School District has not acknowledged LockBit’s claim and Comparitech cannot independently verify it. We do not know how attackers breached the district’s network, if the district paid a ransom, or what data might have been compromised. Comparitech contacted the district for comment and will update this article if it responds.
“Alcorn School District recently detected suspicious activity causing a service disruption to certain systems on our computer network,” says the district’s March 1 announcement on Facebook.
“As a proactive measure, we have temporarily disabled our network while we continue to investigate. The disablement of our network may impact some of the testing scheduled in our district this week.”
Who is LockBit?
LockBit is a Russia-based cybercriminal gang that first appeared in 2019. Its malware both locks down computers and steals data. Some of its high-profile past targets include Boeing, TSMC, and London Drugs.
In 2026 to date, LockBit has taken credit for 72 ransomware attacks, eight of which were confirmed by the targeted organizations. We tracked 133 LockBit attack claims in 2025.
LockBit is no stranger to targeting schools. These K-12 districts all confirmed attacks claimed by LockBit in the last few years:
- Groton Public Schools (CT)
- Central School District 13J (OR)
- Township of Union Public Schools (NJ)
- Hesperia Unified School District (CA)
- Joliet Public Schools District 86 (IL)
- Shore Regional High School District (NJ)
- Pueblo County School District 70 (CO)
- Toronto District School Board
- Milton Town School District (VT)
- Fauquier County Public Schools (VA)
- Hillsborough County Public Schools (NJ)
- Altoona Area School District (PA)
- White Settlement Independent School District (TX)
- Olympia Community Unit School District 16 (IL)
Ransomware attacks on US education
In 2026 to date, Comparitech researchers have logged four confirmed ransomware attacks on US schools, colleges, and other educational institutions. 10 more attack claims remain unconfirmed.
Other schools hit by ransomware this year include:
- Denmark School District, WI (Inc)
- Community College of Beaver County, PA (unknown attackers)
- Wagon Mound Public Schools, NM (Interlock)
Ransomware attacks on schools can both steal data and disrupt day-to-day operations such as taking attendance, submitting grades, phone and email communications, billing, payroll, and assignments. Schools that refuse to pay can face extended downtime, permanent data loss, and putting students and faculty at increased risk of fraud.
About Alcorn School District
Alcorn is a county on the northern border of Mississippi with a population of about 35,000 people. Alcorn Schools serves the towns of Farmington, Kossuth, Glen, and Rienzi. It operates three high schools, two middle schools, three elementary schools, one vocational school, and one alternative school. Altogether, they enroll about 3,800 students per year.
