Toronto School District Reports Major PowerSchool Breach: 40 Years of Student Data Compromised
In a significant data security incident, the Toronto District School Board (TDSB), Canada’s largest school board, has revealed that hackers may have illegally accessed student data spanning over 40 years during the recent PowerSchool breach. This alarming event has raised concerns among parents and guardians regarding the safety of their children’s information.
Details of the Data Breach
In a letter addressed to parents this week, the TDSB disclosed that the data breach impacted all students enrolled in the district from September 1985 to December 2024. The school board, which serves approximately 240,000 students annually, has stored historical student information in PowerSchool to address requests for former student records.
Types of Compromised Data
The compromised information includes:
- Students’ names
- Addresses
- Dates of birth
- Phone numbers
Additionally, more recent data from 2017 that was also affected includes contact details for parents and guardians, raising further concerns about privacy and security.
Response from PowerSchool
TDSB stated that PowerSchool has informed them that the company received alleged confirmation from the hackers indicating that the stolen data has been deleted. However, PowerSchool has not provided any comments regarding the specifics of this confirmation.
What Parents Should Do
In light of this incident, parents and guardians are advised to take the following steps:
- Monitor your child’s personal information and report any suspicious activity.
- Change passwords for any online accounts associated with your child.
- Stay informed about updates from TDSB regarding the data breach.
For more information on data security and how to protect personal information, visit Cyber Security Canada.
As the situation develops, it is crucial for affected individuals to remain vigilant and proactive in safeguarding their personal information. For further updates, you can check the TDSB’s official website at tdsb.on.ca.
