Outflow Designs/ iStock / Getty Images Plus via Getty Images

Follow ZDNET: Add us as a preferred source on Google.

ZDNET's key takeaways

Canvas was disrupted this week by a cyberattack.

Many students are unable to access the popular educational portal.

Instructure says data was stolen; what Canvas users should do next.

Canvas is at the center of an ongoing cyberattack and data extortion attempt by a well-known cybercriminal group that claims to have stolen student records. If you are a Canvas user, you can take defensive measures now.

Also: No one pays ransomware demands anymore - so attackers have a new goal

What is Canvas?

Canvas is a Learning Management System (LMS) from Instructure, a Salt Lake City-based educational technology company founded in 2008 .

Designed for remote learning, Canvas has been adopted by thousands of schools for course creation and management, grading, feedback, and coursework submission.…