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PowerSchool paid a hacker’s ransom, but now schools say they are being extorted
After PowerSchool paid a ransom to delete stolen student data, schools, including Toronto's district, report new extortion attempts, claiming the data was not destroyed. The December 2024 hack compromised records of millions of students, raising concerns about the risks of paying ransoms in cyber incidents.
Key points
- PowerSchool, a major education software provider, was hacked in December 2024 through a single stolen credential.
- The hacker accessed sensitive data, including Social Security numbers and health information, affecting 60 million students in North America.
- PowerSchool paid a ransom to delete the data but did not disclose the amount.
- Recently, at least one school district (Toronto) has reported being extorted by a threat actor claiming to possess the stolen data.
- Cybersecurity experts warn that paying ransoms does not guarantee the deletion of stolen data and may lead to further extortion.
Why it matters
- This incident aligns with the increasing incidents of ransomware attacks and extortion in the educational sector, highlighting vulnerabilities.
- The trend illustrates the ongoing debate about whether victims should pay ransoms to ensure data safety.
- The situation reflects broader cybersecurity challenges in 2025, where organizations are increasingly targeted due to valuable personal information.
The PowerSchool incident underscores the complexities and dangers of cybersecurity, particularly in education, highlighting the potential risks of paying ransoms and the subsequent threats of extortion.