A recent cybersecurity breach at PowerSchool, a widely used school operations software, has exposed sensitive information of students, parents, and teachers across as many as 85 school divisions in Virginia. PowerSchool revealed on December 28 that its customer portal, PowerSource, had been accessed without permission, putting student data nationwide at risk.
No Disruption in Services, PowerSchool Assures Users
Despite the breach, PowerSchool reassured users that its operations remain unaffected. In a public statement, the company said it is “not experiencing, nor does it expect to experience, any operational disruption.” They pledged to continue delivering services without interruptions and confirmed that no other PowerSchool products were impacted by the incident.
PowerSchool’s Commitment to Privacy
The company emphasized its dedication to safeguarding user data. In their statement, PowerSchool expressed regret for the breach and vowed to provide resources to affected users. They said:
“We take our responsibility to protect student, family, and educator data privacy extremely seriously. We are committed to providing customers, families, and educators with resources and support as we work through this together. We apologize for any concern this incident may cause you.”
What Data Was Compromised?
In Fluvanna County, one of the affected school divisions, officials disclosed that the exposed data primarily includes contact details such as names and addresses of students, parents, and teachers. However, the breach also compromised more sensitive personally identifiable information (PII), including Social Security numbers.
Fluvanna County Superintendent Peter Gretz explained that Social Security numbers were stored only for teaching candidates awaiting provisional licenses. Those impacted are being contacted directly. He added:
“They assure us that they are working with urgency to complete their investigation and determine whether PII belonging to our students or teachers was included.”
Other Affected School Divisions
Several other school divisions, including Charlottesville, Richmond, and Tazewell counties, have also reported being affected by the breach. These divisions are part of the Virginia PowerSchool Users Group, which consists of 85 members offering training and support for the software.
Russell County Public Schools has informed families and employees about the breach. Superintendent Kimberly Hooker stressed the district’s efforts to protect private information and confirmed ongoing work with PowerSchool to assess the full impact. In a letter dated January 10, Hooker stated:
“Russell County Public Schools takes the privacy of our students’ and employees’ personal information very seriously. We will work with PowerSchool to ensure that any individuals impacted by this incident are directly notified.”
Fairfax County Public Schools Not Affected
Meanwhile, Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS), Virginia’s largest school division, confirmed that it was not impacted by the breach. Although FCPS is a PowerSchool customer, they do not use the company’s student information system product, which was the target of the attack.
What’s Next for Affected Users?
PowerSchool has assured users that they are working urgently to investigate the breach and will notify those affected as soon as possible. The incident serves as a reminder of the importance of cybersecurity in education systems and the need for robust measures to protect sensitive data.
School divisions and PowerSchool are expected to provide updates as more details become available. Parents, students, and teachers impacted by the breach are advised to stay vigilant for further communications.
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