Canvas (Instructure) Security Incident

Canvas (Instructure) Security Incident

Canvas (Instructure) Security Incident

Asbury Theological Seminary was informed on May 1, 2026, by Instructure, our third-party Canvas learning management system (LMS) provider, of a cybersecurity incident that occurred in their systems. At this time, there is no evidence that any systems owned, operated, or controlled by Asbury Theological Seminary were accessed without authorization.

Instructure is actively investigating the incident to assess its scope and has implemented preventive measures to ensure service continuity. It is important to note that this incident was not a direct attack on our institution. The Library, Information, and Technology Services (LITS) team at Asbury Theological Seminary is closely monitoring this situation and maintaining direct communication with Instructure. 

For any official status updates from Instructure, please visit: https://status.instructure.com

At this time, all users continue to have access to the Canvas LMS and can complete coursework and related tasks. We advise our students, faculty, and staff to continue utilizing Canvas LMS and our information technology services as usual, following the official channels and resources provided by the institution.

What you can do:

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Watch out for Phishing Messages

Cybercriminals sometimes use news of security incidents to send fake emails, text messages, or login pages designed to steal information.

Be cautious of messages that:

  • Claim your account has been suspended or compromised
  • Ask you to “verify” your password or personal information
  • Create urgency or pressure you to act immediately
  • Contain unexpected links or attachments
  • Pretend to come from Canvas, IT Support, Microsoft, Google, or Seminary staff


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Always verify website addresses carefully before signing in.

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Use Strong Passwords

      Use a unique password for your Seminary accounts and avoid reusing passwords across multiple websites.

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Enable Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA)

      Whenever possible, enable MFA on your accounts. MFA adds an additional layer of protection even if a password becomes compromised.

      Instead of clicking links in emails or text messages, navigate directly to trusted websites such as:

    • Canvas:                              https://canvas.asburyseminary.edu or https://asburyseminary.instructure.com
    • Microsoft 365:                  https://myATS.asburyseminary.edu or https://myapps.microsoft.com/
    • Asbury Seminary portals: https://connect.asburyseminary.edu

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Monitor Your Accounts

      Watch for unexpected password reset emails, unfamiliar login notifications, or changes to your account settings.

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Keep Devices Updated

      Install operating system, browser, and app updates regularly to help protect against known vulnerabilities.


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Reporting Suspicious Messages

If you receive suspicious emails or messages claiming to relate to Canvas, your Seminary account, or this incident:

  • Do not click links or open attachments
  • Report the message to the Asbury Seminary Help Desk
  • Mark the message as SPAM after reporting it. 

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Additional Information

For official updates regarding the Canvas incident, visit:

Asbury Seminary continues to monitor information provided by Instructure and will share additional guidance if needed.