The breach, which occurred in December, may have exposed student data dating back to 1965, including names, addresses, and birth dates. Staff information may also have been compromised. PowerSchool confirmed that it had initially paid a ransom in an attempt to have the data deleted, but hackers have since resurfaced demanding additional money, suggesting they may still retain copies of the stolen material.
While the Toronto District School Board acknowledged being directly approached by cybercriminals, PDSB has not confirmed if the extortionists contacted them directly or solely communicated through PowerSchool. PDSB assured the public that sensitive information such as social insurance numbers, health cards, and banking details were not stored on PowerSchool and were not accessed in the breach.
“This is not a new cyber incident, but a continuation of that earlier incident,” PDSB said in a statement posted on its website. The board acknowledged the concern this may cause and emphasized its commitment to privacy and transparency as it continues to work with PowerSchool, law enforcement, and Ontario’s Information and Privacy Commissioner.
The Dufferin-Peel Catholic District School Board was also impacted by the breach, though it has not disclosed whether it received a ransom demand.
Hackers are demanding a ransom from the Peel District School Board (PDSB) in exchange for stolen student data following a cybersecurity breach linked to PowerSchool, the online data management platform used by the board. PDSB, which serves over 150,000 students across Mississauga, Brampton, and Caledon, was notified by PowerSchool that an unauthorized user has contacted several school districts, including PDSB, to extort payment over the previously stolen information.
The breach, which occurred in December, may have exposed student data dating back to 1965, including names, addresses, and birth dates. Staff information may also have been compromised. PowerSchool confirmed that it had initially paid a ransom in an attempt to have the data deleted, but hackers have since resurfaced demanding additional money, suggesting they may still retain copies of the stolen material.
While the Toronto District School Board acknowledged being directly approached by cybercriminals, PDSB has not confirmed if the extortionists contacted them directly or solely communicated through PowerSchool. PDSB assured the public that sensitive information such as social insurance numbers, health cards, and banking details were not stored on PowerSchool and were not accessed in the breach.
“This is not a new cyber incident, but a continuation of that earlier incident,” PDSB said in a statement posted on its website. The board acknowledged the concern this may cause and emphasized its commitment to privacy and transparency as it continues to work with PowerSchool, law enforcement, and Ontario’s Information and Privacy Commissioner.
The Dufferin-Peel Catholic District School Board was also impacted by the breach, though it has not disclosed whether it received a ransom demand.