MIAMI — A Miami-Dade County high school student was arrested Thursday in connection with a cyberattack this week against the public school system.
School police said the student is a 16-year-old junior at South Miami Senior High School. Detectives said they traced an IP address back to the student.
Miami-Dade Schools Police are investigating and working jointly with the FBI, the Secret Service, and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, according to a press release.
Officials said the student admitted to setting up eight attacks, designed to overwhelm district networks.
An online application was used to carry out these attacks, and the student was charged with computer use in an attempt to defraud, a third-degree felony and interference with an educational institution, a second-degree misdemeanor.
The school district has been the target of more than a dozen cyberattacks since the school year began. Detectives are continuing to investigate whether additional individuals were responsible for these attacks.
"We believe, based upon our investigation, that other attackers are out there. We will not rest until every one of them is caught and brought to justice. Cyberattacks are serious crimes, which have far-reaching negative impacts. Our message to anyone thinking of attempting a criminal act like this is to think twice. We will find you," said Miami-Dade Schools Police Department Chief Edwin Lopez.