Canvas data breach affecting some learning institutions

Some New Zealand universities and other tertiary and educational institutions have been affected by a data breach of the Canvas learning management system.

8 May 2026

The NCSC is engaging with the Ministry of Education, universities and tertiary institutions in response to this incident. 

If you are affected by the data breach, see your education provider for specific advice.

If you are approached by any party asking for money in relation to this breach, do not engage. Please report this to your place of learning, and to the Police at 105.

Attacks like this can lead to phishing and extortion attempts by criminals. Be wary of emails, phone calls or messages from unfamiliar sources, asking you to do things like click links or install software.

To keep your information safe please see the following guides about what to do if you’re affected by a data breach.  In particular, if you use the same password across different accounts, now is a good time to change it.

Keeping safe after a data breach External Link

Protect yourself against information leaks  External Link