A ransomware gang called Meduza Locker today took credit for a November 2025 cyber attack on Kelsey School Division in Manitoba, Canada.
The division superintendent on November 13, 2025 notified parents of an unauthorized third-party breach into its IT network that disrupted school systems.
Meduza Locker listed Kelsey School Division on its data leak site, claiming it stole “Documents for students, parents, staff, and sponsors” from the division’s computers. To prove its claim, Meduza Locker posted a sample of files that it says it stole from the division. The group priced the full data at $40,000.
Kelsey School Division has not confirmed Meduza Locker’s claim. Comparitech cannot verify the authenticity of the sample data. We do not know if Kelsey received a ransom demand or or how attackers breached Kelsey’s systems. The division was unable to respond to Comparitech’s request for comment in time for publication due to the holiday break.
“On November 3, the Kelsey School Division discovered a division-wide cybersecurity incident impacting a portion of our network,” said Trevor Lane, KSD Superintendent, in the November 13 notice to parents and guardians.
IT personnel temporarily terminated internet access and took systems offline to prevent the attack from spreading. But the extent of the breach into student data was still under investigation as of November 13, according to the superintendent’s notice.
“At this time, it is unclear what data, if any, was impacted by this incident. To the extent that any student data is determined to have been impacted, we will notify all affected individuals directly,” the superintendent said.
“While the investigation and recovery efforts are underway, school operations will continue as usual, but electronic communication and some online services will remain limited.”
Who is Meduza Locker?
Meduza Locker, or Medusa Locker, is a ransomware group that first surfaced in 2022. It operates a ransomware-as-a-service business in which affiliates pay to use Meduza Locker’s malware and infrastructure to launch cyber attacks and collect ransoms. It often exploits remote desktop protocol vulnerabilities to gain access to target networks, according to the FBI.
In addition to Kelsey School Division, Meduza Locker took credit for five other ransomware attacks today. None of the other targeted organizations have reported cyber attacks as of time of writing.
Meduza Locker has claimed 13 attacks in 2025, and 26 in total since it began posting claims to its leak site in 2023.
Kelsey isn’t the first school district targeted by Meduza Locker. In October 2023, the ransomware group demanded $35,000 from Ada Borup-West School District in Minnesota.
Meduza Locker is not to be confused with another ransomware group of a similar name, Medusa.
Ransomware attacks on schools
In 2025 to date, Comparitech researchers have logged 89 confirmed ransomware attacks on schools, colleges, and universities worldwide. Four of them hit schools in Canada.
In addition to Kelsey School Division, they include:
- Centre de services scolaire des Appalaches (CSSA) reported an August 2025 data reach claimed by Inc
- Collège Supérieur de Montréal reported an October 2025 data breach for which Rhysida demanded a $430,400 ransom
- Eastern Townships School Board reported a December 2025 data breach claimed by Qilin
Beyond Canada, other schools that confirmed ransomware attacks in December 2025 include Landessonderschule Mils in Austria, Yokosuka Gakuin Elementary School in Japan, Minersville Area School District in Pennsylvania, Chuo Gakuin University in Japan, and Inha University in South Korea.
Ransomware attacks on schools can disrupt day-to-day operations such as taking attendance, submitting grades, phone and email communications, billing, payroll, and assignments. Ransomware attacks are often two-pronged: they lock down systems and steal data. Schools that refuse to pay can face extended downtime, permanent data loss, and putting students and faculty at increased risk of fraud.
About Kelsey School Division
Kelsey School Division includes five schools in The Pas, Manitoba: Kelsey Community School, École Opasquia School, École Scott Bateman Middle School, Margaret Barbour Collegiate Institute, Mary Duncan School, plus Kelsey Learning Center at University College of the North. It has an enrollment of about 1,450 students.
