Hackers hit Wake public schools server

The attack happened several weeks ago on a server that hosts 54 of the 178 websites operated by the school system. WCPSS spokeswoman Lisa Luten said the hack was an automated program and no personal information was compromised because there was nothing sensitive on the websites. Technicians opted to take the server offline because the program was slowing it down.

Such attacks are common for businesses, said Russell Gilmore, a security consultant at RMA.

"The most destructive is looking for personal information," he said. "Looking for personal identifiable information, social security numbers, dates of birth, medical records."

Gilmore advises that the best protection from hackers is for users to be suspicious of what they're clicking, make sure they know what they're downloading and that they trust whoever is sending them e-mails.

If needed, pick up the phone, Gilmore said.

"Call the person you believe may have sent you the email," he said. "Verify they sent it to you."

All but three of the sites are back up, and they should be online by the end of the week, according to WCPSS spokeswoman Lisa Luten.

The remaining three schools – Ligon Middle School, Wakefield Middle School and Banks Road Elementary School – were transitioning to a new website system, so officials decided to wait until the transition is completed before those schools come back online, Luten said.