Ignitia Troubleshooting: I Think My Account is Being Hacked

Li’l Billy logs in for the day, ready to tackle his math lesson. But something doesn't seem right… Suddenly, from the living room, “Moooom!” Lessons had progressed when he hadn’t started them.

Li’l Billy thinks his Ignitia account has been hacked, but that is likely not the case. Here are some steps to check to see why someone else completed his lessons.

The Basic Password.

It’s unlikely, but someone might have guessed (or heard) your student’s username and password. Families with students enrolled at Enlightium Academy can click here to update their password; remember to make it a complex password with letters, numbers, and characters.

The Unsuspecting Sibling.

Let’s say your student is logged into his Ignitia account on the family computer, takes a break, and decides to change computers midday. He now logs into Ignitia on his personal laptop and begins a test.

Meanwhile, a sibling gets on the family computer to do their homework and does not check to see if it is her Ignitia account she is logging into; the username and password auto-filled, so she just clicks “login”. Now, even though her brother is using a different computer, he is kicked out of his test. 

Solution: Speak to each student to ensure that they are logging into their own Ignitia account.

Second, you need to work backwards to see how much work was completed by someone else. Chances are, it is not too much. Once you’ve identified which assignments were completed, (politely) contact the appropriate teacher(s), tell them of the situation and which assignment(s) were affected, and request for them to be reassigned.

Malware or a More Serious Breach 

One of the emerging problems in today’s society is the development and evolution of malware and other forms of malicious hacking. Young people are especially vulnerable due to the amount of technology they use every day and their tendency to be curious.

Be on the lookout for the following signs (courtesy of the Federal Trade Commission official website): 

• Your student’s computer suddenly slows down, crashes, or displays error messages
• Inappropriate ads or pop-ups 
• Messages sent to teachers or staff that were not sent by you or your student 
• Settings or preferences have been changed 
• Unknown or unidentified software is present on the device

If your student notices the signs of malware on their computer, please bring your computer to the nearest electronics store as soon as possible, and their team will work with you on the next steps. These steps may include a full scan and wiping of your student’s computer. Leaving malware on a device can result in stolen information, so time is of the essence. 

Additional steps:

• Periodically change your password to a combination of letters, numbers, and symbols 
• Ensure that your student is logged out of Ignitia when they are not doing their schoolwork
• When logged in to Ignitia, ensure that your student’s username and password are not auto-filling (not saved)
• Do not share your password with anyone

Enlightium Academy is a private Christian online school that serves homeschooling families by offering a Bible-based, flexible, accredited, teacher-supported, and affordable education from the comfort of your home. For any other questions about Enlightium, please call (509) 319-2288, or visit EnlightiumAcademy.com.