The Toronto District School Board (TDSB) has experienced a renewed cyber threat related to a data breach involving PowerSchool, leading to fears of data exposure and extortion attempts. Despite assurances from PowerSchool that the data was deleted, investigations are ongoing, raising concerns about the security of student and staff information. (Affected: TDSB, other school districts using PowerSchool)
Keypoints :
- The TDSB received a new extortion threat claiming to hold data obtained during a December 2024 ransomware attack on PowerSchool.
- PowerSchool paid a ransom in December to stop the initial attack, believing the data was deleted, but the hacker has reemerged demanding more money.
- Multiple school boards, including TDSB, are being targeted, with at least four receiving similar extortion messages.
- The TDSB has activated its cybersecurity response plan and is working with PowerSchool to assess the extent of possible data breaches.
- PowerSchool states the current threats are a continuation of the previous attack, not a new breach, and has notified law enforcement.
- Support services like credit monitoring and identity protection have been offered to students and staff to mitigate potential fallout.
- The incident highlights broader concerns about cybersecurity in the education sector and the importance of improved security measures.
Read More: https://thecyberexpress.com/powerschool-data-breach-leads-tdsb-extortion/