Hackers Steal Data from Schools in Hong Kong

May 15, 2026, 09:21
GlobalTechnology

Introduction

A government office says that hackers stole information from the Canvas learning website. Seven schools in Hong Kong have a problem.

Main Body

Hackers attacked 9,000 schools around the world. In Hong Kong, they stole names and emails from 72,571 people. These people study or work at seven different universities and schools. The company, Instructure, paid money to the hackers. The hackers said they deleted the data. But the government is angry. They say paying money is bad because it does not stop future attacks. The government tells schools to check their security. They say schools must delete secret information from the website. This website had two big security problems.

Conclusion

The government is watching the situation. They tell schools to be careful with their data.

Learning

💡 The 'Action' Pattern

Look at how the text describes things happening. To reach A2, you need to know how to describe simple actions in the past and present.

1. Things that already happened (Past)

  • stole → took without asking
  • attacked → tried to break in
  • paid → gave money
  • deleted → removed

2. Things happening now or always (Present)

  • says → speaks/writes
  • is → state of being
  • tells → gives a direction

🛠️ Useful Word Pairs

In this story, we see words that work together to make a clear point. Try to learn them as a pair:

  • Stole + Information
  • Paid + Money
  • Delete + Data
  • Check + Security

⚠️ Important Note

Notice the word "Because". It connects a result to a reason: Paying money is bad →\rightarrow because →\rightarrow it does not stop future attacks.

Vocabulary Learning

government (n.)
The group that runs a country or region.
Example:The government decided to improve school security.
office (n.)
A place where people work, usually in a building.
Example:She works in a government office.
says (v.)
To speak or write something.
Example:The officer says that the hackers are still a threat.
hackers (n.)
People who break into computer systems illegally.
Example:Hackers stole data from many schools.
stole (v.)
To take something without permission.
Example:They stole names and emails from the database.
information (n.)
Facts or details about something.
Example:The stolen information included students' emails.
website (n.)
A page on the internet that people can visit.
Example:The Canvas learning website was attacked.
school (n.)
A place where children learn.
Example:Many schools are affected by the data breach.
problem (n.)
An issue or difficulty.
Example:The schools have a serious problem with security.
attack (v.)
To harm or damage something, especially a computer system.
Example:Hackers attacked thousands of schools worldwide.
name (n.)
A word or words by which a person is known.
Example:The hackers stole many names from the database.
email (n.)
A message sent electronically through the internet.
Example:Emails of students were also stolen.
study (v.)
To learn or investigate something.
Example:Students study at university and high school.
work (v.)
To perform a job or task.
Example:Many people work at the same university.
university (n.)
A higher education institution where students learn advanced subjects.
Example:Some of the people belong to different universities.
company (n.)
An organization that makes or sells goods or services.
Example:The company paid money to the hackers.
pay (v.)
To give money in exchange for something.
Example:They paid the hackers to delete the data.
money (n.)
Currency used for buying goods or services.
Example:The company paid a large amount of money.
delete (v.)
To remove something, especially from a computer.
Example:The hackers deleted the stolen data.
data (n.)
Facts and information collected for analysis.
Example:The stolen data included names and emails.
angry (adj.)
Feeling strong displeasure or annoyance.
Example:The government is angry about the breach.
stop (v.)
To bring an action to an end.
Example:Paying money does not stop future attacks.
future (n.)
The time that will come after the present.
Example:They want to protect against future threats.
tell (v.)
To communicate information to someone.
Example:The government tells schools to check security.
must (modal)
Indicates necessity or obligation.
Example:Schools must delete secret information.
check (v.)
To examine or inspect something.
Example:Check your website for security problems.
security (n.)
Protection against danger or theft.
Example:Good security keeps data safe.
secret (adj.)
Not known or shared with others.
Example:The website had secret information that was stolen.
big (adj.)
Large in size or importance.
Example:The security problems were big.
watch (v.)
To look at something carefully.
Example:The government is watching the situation.
situation (n.)
A set of circumstances or conditions.
Example:The current situation is still uncertain.
careful (adj.)
Paying attention to avoid mistakes or danger.
Example:Be careful with your data online.