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School System Hit by Ransomware in Manitoba
Taylor Hawes
January 05, 2026
🔎 Cyber Watch 🔎
School System Hit by Ransomware in Manitoba
A ransomware group called Meduza Locker claimed responsibility for a November 2025 attack on Kelsey School Division in Manitoba, Canada. The gang posted a sample of purportedly stolen files and listed the full data for sale at $40,000. School leaders confirmed a significant cybersecurity incident disrupted systems and took parts of the network offline to contain it, though details on data loss remain under investigation. Ransomware attacks on educational institutions have been rising globally, affecting operations, communications, and sensitive data. Defensive measures and incident preparedness remain key for school IT teams.
Key takeaway
Education networks remain frequent ransomware targets due to limited security budgets.
Ransomware groups continue to use data-leak threats to pressure victims into payment.
Incident containment often requires shutting down systems, disrupting daily operations.
Public claims by threat actors do not always confirm full data exfiltration.
Schools need incident response plans that assume data theft, not just encryption.
🎙️ Tech Briefing On‑Air 🎙️
Identity Becomes the New Security Perimeter
This podcast features Jasson Casey, CEO and Co-Founder of Beyond Identity, discussing how identity now sits at the center of modern cybersecurity. Drawing on more than 20 years of experience, Casey explains why older perimeter-based defenses no longer stop today’s attacks. The conversation covers identity-driven threats, including state-linked campaigns, weaknesses in TLS, and the limits of endpoint trust. The episode also looks at hardware-backed credentials, zero trust authentication, and how identity security applies to AI agents, drones, and machine identities.
Takeaways: This discussion focuses on how stronger identity controls aim to remove credential-based attacks as a viable option for attackers..
🤝 Partner Intel 🤝
Atera
Atera is a cloud-based remote monitoring and management (RMM) platform built mainly for MSPs and IT teams to monitor, manage, and automate technology environments. It combines tools for remote monitoring, patching, ticketing, remote access, and reporting in a single dashboard. Atera stands out with a technician-centric pricing model that lets teams manage unlimited endpoints for a fixed cost per tech, which can drive predictable budgeting and lower barriers for smaller businesses. The platform also adds automation and AI support tools to reduce repetitive work and improve response times. While users find it intuitive and valuable for core IT tasks, some limitations include occasional integration gaps and support responsiveness.
🤖 AI Runtime 🤖
MetaGuard AI Unveils Next-Gen Cybersecurity Platform at CES
MetaGuard AI introduced its CyberNeuroRT platform at CES 2026, combining defense-grade AI threat detection with full source code access and compatibility with BrainChip’s neuromorphic computing technology. This architecture enables efficient, real-time analytics at the edge and in enterprise settings. Supported by U.S. Department of Energy and Missile Defense Agency research, the platform integrates with existing tools like Zeek and Corelight and offers licensing flexibility for different organisational needs. The transparency of full source code access is intended to appeal to regulated industries demanding auditability.
đź“Š By the Numbers đź“Š
Technology giant Cisco is likely to acquire Israeli cybersecurity company Axonius for $2 billion.
🗳️ Your Monday Take 🗳️
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Until Friday’s edition - Let’s keep that zero-day count at zero!