Instructure, the company behind the Canvas learning management platform, has recently announced that they have come to an agreement with the hackers who breached their systems last week. The agreement aims to prevent any stolen data from being leaked online.

The hacking group known as ShinyHunters claimed responsibility for the attack that led to Canvas being briefly taken offline. They threatened to publish 3.5 terabytes of student data unless ransom demands were met. Instructure has confirmed that the stolen data has been returned as part of the agreement with the hackers, ensuring that no customers will be extorted due to this incident.

Instructure emphasized that the protection of their community is their top priority and that reaching an agreement with the unauthorized actor involved was necessary. While the company did not explicitly mention paying the hackers, the update strongly suggests that a ransom was involved. Instructure received assurances that the stolen data had been destroyed and that all impacted customers are covered by the agreement.

Despite the uncertainties of dealing with cyber criminals, Instructure believed it was crucial to take every possible step to provide customers with peace of mind. They are working with expert vendors to enhance their security measures, conduct thorough forensic analysis, and review the data involved in the breach.

Following the restoration of most Canvas systems, Instructure plans to share more details about the attack in an upcoming webinar. The company previously stated that hackers exploited Free-For-Teacher accounts to access their systems, leading to the temporary shutdown of those accounts. The timeline for the restoration of access to Free-For-Teacher accounts has not been announced.