Pop-up message on Canvas log-in page.

(Photo from the Canvas log-in page)

Updated May 8, 8 a.m.:

Early this morning, JCCC sent a text and email alert stating Canvas is back up and running. The following message was sent to students and faculty.

“JCCC Alert – Update: Canvas is back online and normal operations should be fully restored soon. Some functions may be slow initially as the system is rebooting.”

As the message mentioned, some Canvas pages may take some time to reload, so patience is encouraged.

It’s the week before finals, and everyone is feeling the pressure to start writing essays, planning projects and cramming for exams. The problem is you can’t–at least right now. 

 At 4:13 p.m. on May 7, JCCC alerted faculty and students through its alert system that Canvas would be down for the time being. The following statement was sent via text message and email. 

“JCCC Alert: Canvas is unavailable at this time. We are actively working to review this issue. We will update status by Friday AM.”

So, why was Canvas taken down?

Instructure, the mother company of Canvas, seems to have been hacked by ShinyHunters, a data breaching group. A threatening message from the suspected hackers was viewed by students across Kansas, who later shared the memo on social media. 

“ShinyHunters has breached Instructure (again). Instead of contacting us to resolve it they ignored us and did some ‘security patches,’” the message reads. “If any of the schools in the affected list are interested in preventing the release of their data, please consult with a cyber advisory firm and contact us privately at TOX to negotiate a settlement. You have till the end of the day by May 12 2026 before everything is leaked. Instructure still has until EOD 12 May 2026 to contact us.” 

After about 30 minutes, the message was taken down, but the app and website remain inaccessible to students and faculty. However, the personal data these hackers claim to possess is still unreleased. 

According to WCNC, “the affected data might have included full names, email addresses, student ID numbers and messages, but that there is no evidence passwords, dates of birth, government identifiers or financial information were exposed.”

Many students are feeling overwhelmed and concerned about how the remainder of the semester will go, especially with finals coming up. 

“I am in an online class whose final project portfolio is due on the 10th,” JCCC student Sonia Desai said. “I am working to complete all of the requirements for the portfolio–three of them–and would like to have this assignment done as soon as possible so I will then be finished with the course.”

Other students feel inconvenienced by the unfortunate timing of the hack.

“Well, since I can’t log in to Canvas, I don’t know when classes will be done,” Joseph Rhoads, another JCCC student, said. “It does get frustrating and annoying that I can’t do my homework assignments because of Canvas being down.”

Students from universities across the state and the country at large have been similarly affected.

“Canvas being down comes at a terrible time for KU students, as stop day is tomorrow and all assignments are due by 11:59 p.m,” KU student Addison Smith said. “With no indication of when it’ll be fixed, I don’t know when I’ll be able to finish my coursework or how it will impact my finals.”

This is a developing story and The Messenger will continue to post updates as more information is released.