On February 26, 2021, Victor Valley Union High School District experienced a data breach caused by malware that encrypted its systems. The incident, reported on June 3, 2021, by the California Office of the Attorney General, potentially exposed sensitive employee information, including names and Social Security numbers. The malware’s encryption suggests a ransomware attack, though the report does not explicitly confirm whether a ransom demand was made. The breach primarily impacted internal employee data, raising concerns about identity theft and financial fraud risks for affected staff. The district likely faced operational disruptions during the recovery process, including efforts to restore encrypted data and secure its systems against further exploitation. The incident underscores vulnerabilities in educational institutions’ cybersecurity defenses, particularly against ransomware threats targeting personally identifiable information (PII).