IT Security Incident: Instructure/Canvas 

Overview

Instructure, the company behind Canvas, experienced a cybersecurity breach in early May 2026 carried out by an external criminal threat actor. Canvas is the learning management system used by Capital University and thousands of colleges and universities worldwide.

The breach affected institutions across the country and internationally. Based on information Instructure has disclosed, the data involved appears to be limited to basic user information such as names, email addresses, and student ID numbers. Instructure has stated there is no current indication that passwords, dates of birth, government identifiers, or financial information were compromised. The investigation remains ongoing.

Capital's communications regarding this incident will be shared on this page.

Latest Update

May 8, 2026

Capital University is aware of malicious/extortion-style messaging that has appeared in Canvas environments at institutions across the country. At this time, we are actively monitoring the situation and coordinating with appropriate professionals.

At present, there is no indication that our network or systems have been compromised. However, out of an abundance of caution, we are asking all students and employees to exercise heightened awareness while using Canvas. 

Please do the following immediately:

• Do not use the messages or announcements in Canvas. Use your Capital email for communications.
• Do not respond to ANY messages in Canvas.
• Report all suspicious activity, screenshots, or unusual Canvas behavior immediately to o.wendt@capital.edu.
• The university's current password, authentication standards and security practices are very secure. Never share your password with anyone.

Additional updates and guidance will be communicated once available. Any inquiries or questions should be directed to o.wendt@capital.edu.

Thank you for your cooperation. 

Previous Updates

May 7, 2026

Instructure, the company that supports our Canvas learning management system and a provider to thousands of colleges and universities worldwide, has alerted customers to an external security incident. We await further information from Instructure regarding their investigation and what impact their incident may have on information related to Capital. Canvas remains available and operational for Capital students and faculty.

Please note: Capital’s network was not impacted in any way by this Instructure/Canvas incident. Be assured that we are monitoring internally and will provide additional updates as we learn more.

Thank you for your understanding.