A massive data breach earlier this year has resulted in hackers extorting school employees. Millions of students’ personal information was compromised, leading to this latest development.
The Data Breach
PowerSchool, a company that provides student information systems (SIS) to schools across the US, suffered a significant data breach affecting millions of students. The leaked data included sensitive information like names, addresses, birthdates, Social Security numbers, and even some medical information. Both current and former students, as well as educators, were affected.
Extortion Attempts
Months after the breach, school employees in at least 20 North Carolina school systems have reported receiving threatening emails from hackers. These hackers are demanding cryptocurrency payments in exchange for keeping the stolen data private.
Expert Advice and Increasing Concerns
While PowerSchool claims the threat has been contained, cybersecurity expert Doug Levin urges caution. He advises everyone, regardless of involvement in the breach, to freeze their credit reports to protect against potential financial fraud. Levin also highlights a concerning trend: data breaches are becoming more frequent, sophisticated, and impactful, forcing school systems to re-evaluate their cybersecurity practices and those of their vendors. Schools are now asking more questions of their partners to ensure robust security measures are in place.