Canvas by Instructure: Important Notice
Instructure, the company that operates Canvas (the learning management system used at Schulich to manage coursework, assignments, grades, and course communications), has reported a cybersecurity incident that appears to have affected Canvas at thousands of educational institutions worldwide.
Canvas remains available and University teaching and learning activities can continue as usual. We will share any changes if Instructure’s guidance or system status changes.
No action is required at this time, other than remaining alert for phishing or other suspicious messages.
Instructure has posted the following Security Incident Update & FAQ.
York/Schulich is prioritizing assessing this incident and will update this message and share relevant updates and guidance through our usual communications channels as information becomes available.
Canvas is an externally-hosted platform. York University and Schulich School of Business systems were not affected.
The University is monitoring the incident response and will provide additional information and guidance as more details become available.
York is committed to protecting privacy and maintaining the trust of our students and community. We are working with Instructure to understand how this happened and what actions Instructure are taking to prevent future incidents.
We encourage all students, faculty, and staff to remain vigilant:
- Beware of Phishing: Cybercriminals often use stolen contact information to send convincing “phishing” emails. Be wary of any message, even those appearing to come from Schulich, York, or Canvas that asks you to click a link, provide a password, or share personal details. A reminder: York University will never ask for your password by email, text, or phone.
- Verify Communications: If you receive a suspicious message regarding this incident, do not click any links. Report it directly to infosec@yorku.ca.
- Questions: For questions about this notice or Canvas use at Schulich, please contact canvasincident@schulich.yorku.ca
