View source for 2020 Miami-Dade Public Schools DDoS attack

{{Infobox event
| image =
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| time = 2:53 am EDT (06:53 UTC)
| date = 3 September 2020
| location = Miami-Dade County, Florida, {{wipe|United States}}
| type = [[Cyberattack]]
| cause = {{plainlist|* [[Software:Low Orbit Ion Cannon|Low Orbit Ion Cannon]] (LOIC) application}}
| outcome = {{plainlist|* Miami-Dade County Public Schools computer network was inoperable for 3 days}}
| arrests = 1<!-- Do not name person -->
| notes = }}
[[File:Denial-of-service attack.gif|thumb|Authorities believe the Miami Dade school district experienced a distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attack (see illustration). Designed to overwhelm the bandwidth of the targeted system. There are two types of DoS attacks: One is designed to crash services and the other is designed to flood services. The most serious attack is distributed.<ref name="DDOS">{{cite web|url=http://d-scholarship.pitt.edu/19225/1/FinalVersion.pdf |title=A Survey of Defense Mechanisms Against Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) Flooding Attacks |first=Saman |last=Taghavi Zargar |publisher=IEEE COMMUNICATIONS SURVEYS & TUTORIALS |volume=15 |issue=4 |pages=2046–2069 |date=November 2013 |access-date=2014-03-07}}</ref>]]
On 3 September 2020, at 2:53 am EDT, a 16-year-old male from South Miami, Florida was arrested in connection with [[Denial-of-service attack#Distributed DoS|distributed denial-of-service]] (DDoS) attacks on the Miami-Dade County Public Schools's computer network, the fourth largest in the US,<ref name="YN"/> causing the system to crash during the first three days of the school year. It occurred as the school system was attempting to conduct internet-based instruction during the COVID-19 pandemic of 2020.
After monitoring the IP addresses using the network, investigators concluded the teenager and several foreign actors had hacked the system.<ref name="Herald">{{cite news |last1=Wright |first1=Colleen |last2=Ovalle |first2=David |title=Student arrested for cyberattack against Miami schools used 'easy to prevent' program |url=https://www.miamiherald.com/news/local/education/article245461020.html |access-date=6 September 2020 |newspaper=Miami Herald |date=3 September 2020}}</ref> At the time, the school district had contracted [[Company:Stride, Inc.|Stride, Inc.]] (at the time known as K12 Inc.) to provide the software necessary for the internet-based instruction. Despite its price tag of $15.3 million, Stride was surprisingly susceptible to the attacks. Consequently, the school district sought the help of the FBI and U.S. Secret Service to investigate.<ref name="Vesla">{{cite news |last1=Vela |first1=Hatzel |title=Questions swirl around $15. 3 million contract for the K-12 platform |url=https://www.local10.com/news/local/2020/09/02/miami-dade-schools-cyber-attack-investigated-by-multiple-law-enforcement-agencies/ |access-date=6 September 2020 |publisher=Local 10 |date=2 September 2020}}</ref>

== Method used in the attacks ==

According to an affidavit, the suspect used [[Software:Low Orbit Ion Cannon|Low Orbit Ion Cannon]] (LOIC) to launch the attacks. LOIC is an application that uses DDoS-style attacks to disrupt websites. However, investigators say the teen was not the only hacker involved. Numerous other [[IP address]]es were associated with the attacks originating from Russia, the Ukraine, China, Iraq, and other countries. Investigators said the suspect was responsible for eight of at least 24 attacks.<ref name="Herald"/>

After the accused admitted to his involvement, he was charged with the crime of using a computer to defraud, a third-degree felony.<ref name="YN">{{cite news |last1=Wade |first1=Reggie |title=16-year-old student arrested for allegedly crippling Miami school system with cyberattack |url=https://finance.yahoo.com/news/16-yearold-student-arrested-for-crippling-miami-school-system-with-cyberattack-180705671.html |access-date=6 September 2020 |publisher=Yahoo News |date=3 September 2020}}</ref><!-- Note: 3rd degree felony based on the state of Florida. -->

== Agencies involved in the investigation ==

The FBI, the US Secret Service, and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement<ref name="ABCN">{{cite news |last1=Allen |first1=Karma |title=16-year-old arrested for hacking Miami Dade school system |url=https://abcnews.go.com/US/16-year-arrested-hacking-miami-dade-school-system/story?id=72794095 |access-date=6 September 2020 |work=ABC News |date=2 September 2020}}</ref> were the investigating agencies. Former US Congresswoman Debbie Mucarsel-Powell of Florida's 26th congressional district formally asked the FBI for a briefing on the issue.<ref name="Miami">{{cite news |last1=Odzer |first1=Ari |last2=Hamacher |first2=Brian |last3=Pipitone |first3=Tony |title=Student Arrested in Connection With Cyber Attacks on Miami-Dade Public Schools |url=https://www.nbcmiami.com/news/local/student-arrested-in-connection-with-cyber-attacks-on-miami-dade-public-schools/2287613/ |access-date=6 September 2020 |publisher=NBC Miami |date=3 September 2020}}</ref><ref name="WPLG">{{cite news |last1=Vela |first1=Hatzel |last2=Milberg |first2=Glenna |last3=Morejon |first3=Liane |title=Student arrested in Miami-Dade Schools cyberattacks 'a good kid, ' neighbors say |url=https://www.local10.com/news/local/2020/09/03/student-arrested-in-connection-with-cyber-attacks-against-miami-dade-public-schools/ |access-date=6 September 2020 |publisher=WPLG Inc |date=4 September 2020}}</ref> US Senator Marco Rubio from Florida asked the Department of Homeland Security for information about the attacks as well.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Rubio |first1=Marco |title=Rubio Requests Briefing from DHS after Miami-Dade County Public Schools Cyberattack |url=https://www.rubio.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/2020/9/rubio-requests-briefing-from-dhs-after-miami-dade-county-public-schools-cyberattack |access-date=9 September 2020 |publisher=rubio.senate.gov |date=2 September 2020}}</ref>

== See also ==

* [[List of cyberattacks on U.S. schools 2020]]
* [[List of data breaches]]
* [[Hit-and-run DDoS]]
* Hacks at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology
* [[Ransomware]]

== References ==
{{reflist}}

[[Category:Cyberattacks|Miami-Dade]]

{{Sourceattribution|2020 Miami-Dade Public Schools DDoS attack}}