Originally published Sunday, January 27, 2008 at 12:00 AM
Hackers disable Tahoma site
A skull and cross bones greeted students and parents who visited the Tahoma High School Web site last weekend, after hackers disabled the...
Times Southeast Bureau
A skull and cross bones greeted students and parents who visited the Tahoma High School Web site last weekend, after hackers disabled the site.
The security breach was limited to the high school's site, which is hosted on its own server, and did not affect the administrative office or other schools, district spokesman Kevin Patterson said.
District officials are investigating, Patterson said.
"We're not referring to it as a prank," Patterson said. "We're taking it seriously."
Tahoma High hosts Web sites for many of its teachers, and dozens of classes are tied to the site that students use to retrieve class information, turn in assignments or view required readings and news alerts.
Technology staff discovered that the high-school's server was breached Jan. 19 when a group identifying itself as "DarkMind, Dragoc and all FrIenDS!" replaced the high school's home page with a skull and cross bones and a poorly written note that said they had bypassed the site's security system.
The school site was shut down for three days, and several parents called to complain when they could not access school news and alerts from the Web.
District technology officials say that whoever got into the server probably did so from a computer outside of the high school.
Web sites from within the district are monitored through an electronic system that records when someone makes changes to a site from a district computer.
The Tahoma High Web site was up again Tuesday afternoon with a note that saying, "The school Web site has been down for the weekend for repairs, but we're back now!"
Tahoma High principal Terry Duty says the school's technology team believes the site was breached by a group of hackers from overseas. In Washington state, computer trespass is a punishable by up to a year in jail.
Karen Johnson: 253-234-8605 or karenjohnson@seattletimes.com
Copyright © 2008 The Seattle Times Company

New Beginnings Christian Fellowship
Coming in this Sunday's Pacific Northwest Magazine: Pastor Braxton's mission is to preach a message that appeals to everyone.
shopping
events for Tuesday, Nov. 24
- Cicada Bridal Party Dress Sale
- Birth and Beyond Baby Closing Sale
- Handbag-a-Palooza at Clover House
- Ian Black Friday 3-Day Sale
editors' picks
More shopping guides- Illegal workers quietly let go
- Sprouts, raw fish on attorney's 'do not eat' list
- Jerry Brewer | Jerry Brewer: Seahawks can't lean on the Hutch Crutch now
- Woman stabbed by stranger in North Seattle
- Tattoos at Mill Creek church pierce skin, soul
- UW, WSU once again meet to see who's worse
- Food-safety lawyer's wish: Put me out of business
- Husky Football Blog | Ranking the Pac
- Vikings easily beat the Seahawks
- Tugboat sinks at Seattle waterfront pier
- Illegal workers quietly let go
431 - Bellevue residents blast new bikini espresso stand
222 - Jose Lopez appears to be on his way out
172 - Big demand, grim outlook for state Basic Health Plan
170 - Next Seahawks GM should be Mike Holmgren
134 - Washington State coach Paul Wulff says he's excited about Cougars' future
128 - Seattle woman charged with knife attack on boyfriend's ex
94 - Middleton says Huskies "plan on scoring at least 50 points'' Saturday
87 - Some fans at Fort Bragg see themselves in Sarah Palin
72 - Hate crimes against gays, religious groups up, FBI says
62
- Sprouts, raw fish on attorney's 'do not eat' list
- Tattoos at Mill Creek church pierce skin, soul
- Food-safety lawyer's wish: Put me out of business
- Illegal workers quietly let go
- Architects, chefs find 'kid' within to build Gingerbread Village
- Nicole Brodeur | Homeless woman bent on giving
- Hutch gets $10M from Bezos family for immunotherapy research
- Portland cafe's specialty: medical-marijuana tokes
- Big demand, grim outlook for state Basic Health Plan
- Rediscovering Moab, 'the most beautiful place on Earth'

