A major data breach at PowerSchool has impacted almost 1.5 million students in Toronto, raising serious privacy concerns.
The school board confirmed that about 1.49 million students were affected. Emma Moynihan, a communications adviser for the board, shared this info after Global News reached out for details. The breach reportedly impacts data dating back to 1985, which is pretty alarming.
The leaked information could include health card numbers, home addresses, and phone numbers for students who attended TDSB schools from 1985 to 2017. Even more concerning, medical info and birth dates for students from 2017 to December 2024 might also be compromised.
While the board hasn’t confirmed how many staff members were affected, they mentioned that names, employee numbers, and email addresses of some staff were included. This could involve teachers, principals, and other support staff.
The breach happened between December 22 and 28, and it seems to have affected schools in various provinces. PowerSchool, the company behind the software, acknowledged that some personal information was involved and is working hard to address the situation.
Canada’s privacy commissioner is also on it, expressing concern about how this could impact students’ personal information. PowerSchool has promised to offer two years of free identity protection and credit monitoring for those affected. It’s a tough situation, and everyone is hoping for a quick resolution.
