Aurora Public Schools in Colorado Grapples with Potential Network Breach
Aurora Public Schools (APS) in Aurora, Colorado, is facing a district-wide internet and phone service outage that began early Monday, January 13, 2025. According to spokesperson Corey Christiansen, district staff detected "potential suspicious activity" within the network, prompting a precautionary shutdown to protect the system. While the exact cause remains unclear, APS has deployed internal teams and third-party experts to resolve the issue.
Despite the outage disrupting internet and phone services across the district, APS has implemented contingency measures to meet students' and staff's safety and communication needs. Specifically, all schools' public address intercom systems remain operational, enabling school administrators to make announcements and provide updates directly to classrooms and common areas. This ensures that critical information can still be conveyed in real time within school buildings.
This outage, which could extend through the week, has left APS evaluating whether to continue holding classes or cancel school if the disruption persists. Security measures are in place to monitor schools, and district officials have assured the community that safety is their top priority. The event underscores the growing cybersecurity challenges faced by educational institutions, as they rely heavily on technology for operations.