Community update on Canvas following cyber incident
This message was sent to faculty, staff and students in Vancouver and the Okanagan.
May 8, 2026
The UBC community's access to Canvas is currently unavailable due to a cybersecurity incident involving Instructure, the company that owns and operates Canvas. This incident is reportedly impacting thousands of universities and other organizations who use Canvas.
As soon as UBC became aware of the incident, we worked quickly to investigate and respond to the issue. As a precautionary measure, we are now advising UBC community members who use Canvas to take the following steps:
- Do not attempt to log into Canvas or Canvas Catalog until UBC IT advises that it is safe to do so; and
- If you logged into Canvas or Canvas Catalog after 12 p.m. PT on Thursday, May 7, please change your CWL password immediately and contact UBC Cybersecurity at security@ubc.ca. Community members can change their CWL password here.
Even after service is restored, UBC will take the time necessary to review. We recognize the disruption this is causing for teaching, learning, and university operations and we appreciate our community’s patience until the issue is resolved. UBC is working to maintain learning continuity for courses starting next week, and we have already reached out to impacted instructors.
We are also reminding students, faculty, and staff to remain vigilant for phishing emails or suspicious communications that require you to enter your UBC credentials. In particular, please be alert to any phishing email that asks you to provide any personal information or account details related to this incident with Canvas.
For more information, please review our resources on phishing emails here.
We are also reminding students, faculty, and staff to remain vigilant for phishing emails or suspicious communications that require you to enter your UBC credentials. In particular, please be alert to any phishing email that asks you to provide any personal information or account details related to this incident with Canvas.
For more information, please review our resources on phishing emails here.
Further updates will continue to be shared on the UBC IT Status webpage as more information becomes available.
Simon Bates
Vice-Provost and Associate Vice-President, Teaching and Learning
Jennifer Burns
Associate Vice-President, Information Technology
Chief Information Officer
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