Data breach in the Canvas learning platform
06 May 2026
The provider of the Canvas learning platform was subjected to a hacker attack over the weekend. There are reports that personal data may have been leaked and that a large number of higher education institutions are affected. University West uses the platform, but it is not yet known whether the university has been impacted.
Sunet (Swedish University Computer Network), which provides the Canvas platform, is investigating a cybersecurity incident. The scope of the incident is still unclear. University West has therefore increased its monitoring of Canvas.
- We are in ongoing contact with the provider to obtain more information. At present, we have no confirmed details regarding the extent of the incident. The provider has implemented enhanced security measures and Canvas is functioning as usual. The university is continuously monitoring the threat landscape and has adjusted our technical security measures, says Rickard Norén, IT Director at University West.
The data that may have been exposed includes, in some cases, user information such as name, email address, student ID, as well as chats between users.