Boise State Cancels Friday Final Exams After Cyberattack Hits Canvas Platform
Boise State University canceled all final exams scheduled for Friday, May 8, 2026, after a cyberattack disrupted Canvas, the cloud-based learning management platform used by colleges and universities across the country. The university told students the canceled exams will not be rescheduled and that the cancellation will not negatively affect final grades.
Cyberattack Disrupts Finals Week Nationwide
Canvas went offline for roughly four hours Thursday after hackers posted ransom notes directly on school Canvas homepages at institutions nationwide. The hacking group known as “Shiny Hunters” claimed responsibility for the attack, which affected thousands of colleges and universities beyond Boise State.
Instructure, the company that operates Canvas, responded by placing the platform in maintenance mode while it investigated the breach. By Thursday evening, Instructure reported the platform had been restored for most users, though Boise State officials warned that service could remain unreliable and planned as though the outage might not be resolved quickly.
The attack struck at one of the worst possible moments in the academic calendar — the final days of the spring semester, when students and faculty are completing coursework, submitting assignments, and wrapping up end-of-year grades.
What Boise State Students and Faculty Need to Know
All Friday exams — whether in-person or administered online — were canceled. Students who had appointments scheduled through the Academic Testing Center, PACS, or ProctorU were notified those appointments no longer stand. University officials indicated that other end-of-semester activities, such as final presentations or projects not dependent on Canvas, could still proceed as planned.
Students with assignments still outstanding were directed to reach out directly to their instructors for guidance on how to submit work through alternative means, such as email. Faculty were instructed to use student contact information from their PeopleSoft course rosters to communicate with students outside of Canvas.
The university’s Office of Academic Affairs said additional instructions on how final grades will be calculated given the disruption would be released as the situation developed. Officials also acknowledged that faculty working under nine-month or adjunct contracts — which were set to expire May 12 — would be compensated for any additional work required to close out the semester as a result of the outage.
Impact on Ada County Students and the Broader Treasure Valley
For Boise State students in the Treasure Valley, the cancellation offered some relief from the uncertainty created by the attack, though it also meant the end of a finals week already disrupted by a rapidly changing situation. Students were urged to monitor their Boise State email accounts for ongoing updates from the university and their individual instructors.
The university acknowledged the timing in its communications to the campus community, calling the disruption during finals week more than an inconvenience and expressing appreciation for students’ and faculty’s flexibility during the rapidly evolving situation.
The Canvas cyberattack is a reminder of the growing vulnerability of cloud-based education platforms that have become central to how higher education institutions — including those across Idaho — deliver coursework, manage assignments, and communicate with students. For families and students who have invested significant time and money in a college education, disruptions of this scale raise legitimate concerns about data security and institutional preparedness.
Boise State’s nursing students, who are among those finishing up demanding final coursework this spring, are among those affected as they advocate for their profession and prepare to enter the workforce.
What Comes Next
Boise State officials said further guidance on grades, academic accommodations, and any remaining coursework questions would be communicated through student and faculty email. Students with questions about how the cancellations affect their grades or standing were directed to contact instructors directly or reach out to the provost’s office at provost@boisestate.edu.
Anyone who had Friday exam appointments through the Academic Testing Center, PACS, or ProctorU should treat those appointments as canceled and await further communication from the university. Instructure has not provided a confirmed timeline for full restoration of Canvas services across all affected institutions.
Ada County News will continue to follow this story as Boise State provides updates on grading decisions and the university’s response to the breach. For local education coverage, see our recent reporting on West Ada School District’s major building projects and the district’s new Career Technical Education center planned for Meridian.