What happened 

• On May 5, 2026, GCC learned of a data security incident involving Instructure, the provider of our Canvas Learning management system.  

• By May 7, it became clear that the issue would have a much larger impact and the Canvas platform was disabled nationwide.   

• We received notification late in the evening on May 7 that Canvas service was being restored. The Information Technology Office began taking steps to restore full service and ensure that systems are functioning appropriately and securely. 

• As a precautionary measure, GCC issued a password reset for students and faculty on May 8 at noon. The District does not have evidence indicating that passwords have been compromised. However, out of an abundance of caution, we are requiring all users to reset their passwords to strengthen the security of our environments. Scroll to the bottom of this page for detailed instructions for resetting your password.

• Canvas is officially back online for all students and employees as of May 11, 2026. You should be able to log in using your network password. As a reminder, passwords were automatically reset for all students and faculty on Friday afternoon. If you have not reset your password, you will be prompted to do so upon logging in.

  If you have not received a password reset prompt or if you need additional assistance, please contact the ITS Help Desk at (818) 240-1000 ext. 4357.

It is important to note that the Canvas incident impacted the Canvas platform ONLY and is not related to our internal GCC systems.  

What systems/information have been impacted? 

The security incident impacted the Canvas platform and is not related to our internal GCC systems. However, certain information belonging to our school that was stored on the Canvas platform may have been involved. 

Canvas has confirmed that a third-party investigation determined that an unauthorized user accessed certain information on its platform, including: 

• Names 

• Email addresses 

• Student ID numbers (not Social Security Numbers) 

• Messages within the Canvas platform  

Canvas has NOT reported any impact on:  

• Passwords 

• Dates of birth 

• Government identifiers 

• Financial information 

GCC does not share highly sensitive student information with Canvas. Information is limited and operational only, primarily to support course access.  

We also have no indication of impact on our Student Information System (MyGCC) or other third-party systems.  

Important information for protecting your online security 

Based on national reporting, security incidents like the one impacting Canvas appear to be part of a broader pattern. Rather than targeting individual colleges, threat actors are increasingly going after large, shared platforms that serve thousands of institutions at once. 

At this point, the risk to GCC appears contained and manageable. However, we urge students and employees to be vigilant about phishing and social engineering. 

Social engineering, refers to attempts to trick individuals into taking action, clicking a link, sharing credentials, or opening attachments, by making the message appear legitimate. In this case, attackers may use real names, course references, or familiar-looking messages to make emails or texts seem credible. 

Here are a few simple reminders to protect your online security: 

• Be suspicious of unexpected emails, messages, or password reset prompts, even if they appear to reference real courses or colleagues 

• Do not click on links or open attachments unless you are confident in the source 

• Be especially wary of messages asking for login credentials, urgent action, or sensitive information 

• Make sure your passwords are strong and unique, and enable Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) wherever available 

• If you have concerns or receive any suspicious messages, please contact the GCC Helpdesk at helpdesk@glendale.edu.