(WPXI)-A cyber attack on a program that parents use to track their kids’ grades could have exposed the personal information of local families. The student information system impacted by the attack is called PowerSchool, and it stores some sensitive information for 60 million students across roughly 18,000 organizations around the world. In a statement, a PowerSchool spokesperson says the company learned of a “potential cybersecurity incident” on Dec. 28. That incident involved unauthorized access to PowerSchool information through a community-focused customer portal. Three local districts use the program: Fox Chapel, Mount Lebanon and Canon-McMillan. Canon-McMillan, in a letter to parents, further explains that a PowerSchool employee’s credential was compromised and used to access data through a backend support system. Canon-McMillan does not store teacher, student or parent social security numbers on PowerSchool, so that information is still protected. Contact information, health alerts, and grades for current and former students may have been accessed. Parent/guardian names and addresses may also be compromised. The Fox Chapel Area School District also sent a letter to families about this incident, saying that some of the district’s data was accessed. Either the district or PowerSchool will contact families when more information is available. PowerSchool’s spokesperson says it’s committed to providing affected customers, families, and educators with the resources and support they need.
Power School Cyberattack May Have Exposed Personal Info
January 12, 2025 5:51 am