![\"Canvas,](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/IMG_Sac-state-file.jpg_6_1_38P1OS51_L859291221.JPG\" "\\"Canvas,")
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Canvas, a learning management platform used by the University of California and California State University systems, is back online following a data breach that caused a nationwide outage. In this photo, Sacramento State students make their way to the University Union in 2020.<\/p>\n
Renee C. Byer<\/p>\n
rbyer@sacbee.com<\/p>\n
Canvas \u2014 a learning management platform used by thousands of universities and colleges across the country \u2014 was back online Friday morning after a data breach<\/a> caused a nationwide outage. Used as a digital hub to share course materials, submit and grade assignments and communicate class updates, the Canvas outage caused major academic disruptions across campuses only weeks before finals.<\/p>\n While the company confirmed the system\u2019s availability early Friday, access remained restricted for several students and staff in California at least until the afternoon as the University of California, California State University and California Community Colleges systems conducted their own security assessments.<\/p>\n \u201cNow that Instructure has advised that the incident has been contained and remediated, UC is making risk-based decisions about when to restore access to Canvas at campuses based on their operational needs,\u201d the University of California said in an update Friday afternoon. \u201cWe understand the disruption this incident has caused for students, faculty, and staff. We will continue to monitor the situation and share additional information as it becomes available.\u201d<\/p>\n As of 4:30 p.m., the system remained down for UC campuses including Berkeley and Davis.<\/p>\n Meanwhile, the CSU system enabled access to Canvas Friday afternoon. By 2 p.m., the system was back online at Sacramento State. In a message to students and staff, Sacramento State encouraged users to continue to exercise caution and report any suspicious activity.<\/p>\n Around the same time, the platform began coming back online across the California Community Colleges system. In an official statement, the Chancellor\u2019s Office said colleges were taking a \u201ccareful, phased approach to restoring access to help ensure systems and user information remain secure for our students and faculty.\u201d<\/p>\n The Los Rios Community College District\u2019s<\/a> access was up and running Friday afternoon. In an internal email, the district asked its community to be wary of any Canvas messages soliciting money and recommended avoiding links in messages from unfamiliar users.<\/p>\n \u201cThis has been a very challenging and confusing couple of days, and it\u2019s important that we all extend grace to one another as we navigate next steps,\u201d Deputy Chancellor Jamey Nye wrote in the email.<\/p>\n On Thursday, Canvas suddenly went down for students in the Sacramento area and across the nation, taking with it access to course materials, assignments and grades.<\/p>\n Instructure, the developer, said it took the system offline after it identified \u201cunauthorized activity\u201d by a hacker who made changes to the pages that appeared when students and teachers logged in to the system. This activity, it said, was tied to a data breach that occurred April 29.<\/p>\n Based on its investigation so far, the company said data including names, email addresses, student ID numbers and messages were taken in the April 29 incident. There was no evidence, it said, that passwords, Social Security numbers, financial information or other highly sensitive data had been compromised.<\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019ve notified law enforcement, including the FBI, the U.S. Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, and international law enforcement partners,\u201d the company wrote<\/a> on its website.<\/p>\n Brian Watkins, spokesperson for Instructure, said the hacker had exploited an issue related to the company\u2019s Free-For-Teacher accounts. These accounts allow independent educators to create their own courses without an institutional affiliation. Now, Instructure has temporarily shut down that feature.<\/p>\n \u201cThis gives us the confidence to restore access to Canvas, which is now fully back online and available for use. We regret the inconvenience and concern this may have caused,\u201d Watkins said Friday morning.<\/p>\n A group called ShinyHunters has claimed responsibility for the outage and warned affected schools to \u201cnegotiate a settlement\u201d with the group by May 12 to prevent the release of their data.<\/p>\n At schools, many of which are just weeks away from finals, the incident caused major confusion and disturbance among faculty, staff and students.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s challenging when things like this happen,\u201d said Joanne Tippin, nutrition instructor at Shasta College in Redding. \u201cStudents are trying to get their assignments in on time right now. But everyone\u2019s been really good about telling us what\u2019s going on. And we\u2019re trying to do the same for our students.\u201d<\/p>\n This story was originally published May 8, 2026 at 11:29 AM.<\/p>\n
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