We’re writing to update you about a recent cyber security attack where staff and student data was stolen.
Instructure, the company that provides Canvas/ALO our online learning platform, has told us that they have had a data breach and information about students and staff has been stolen.
Instructure’s current public update says the information involved can include names, email addresses, and student ID numbers. At this stage, Instructure says it has found no evidence that passwords, dates of birth, government identifiers or financial information were involved.
Even where passwords are not involved, stolen contact details and user messages can still be used in convincing scams. That means you should be especially cautious of emails, texts, phone calls or social-media messages that appear to come from a tutor, student support, IT, Digital Education Services or another college team and that mention coursework, deadlines, account access, timetable changes or urgent system problems.
Please take care to avoid being hacked
While we’ve had assurances that the ALO platform is still completely safe to use, please take these steps now to avoid being the victim of a cyber-attack:
- Do not share your password or any one-time security code with anyone.
- Only approve a sign-in request if you are the person trying to sign in at that moment.
- If you receive a message asking you to click a link, reset your password or fix an urgent account issue, stop and go to the official Activate Learning or Canvas/ALO login page yourself rather than using the link in the message.
If you are unsure, contact Activate Learning’s Data Protection Officer.
We’re sorry for any concern this may cause. Where our review shows that specific people had additional data types affected, we are contacting them directly.
If you receive a suspicious personal email, never forward it (sharing via a screenshot is safer)
If you think you may have shared personal information or approved a sign‑in request you didn’t make, please sign out of all sessions and change your password straight away. Then contact your tutor as soon as possible, who will escalate this to the IT Service Desk for further support.
Kind regards,
Activate Learning