February 9, 2025

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Cloud-based software service used by North Dakota schools hacked

Cloud-based software service used by North Dakota schools hacked

WEST FARGO, N.D. (Valley News Live) – A popular program for school districts to keep track of student records and communication with families has been hit by a cyberattack.

PowerSchool, a cloud-based software platform used in K-12 schools for students, parents and educators, announced that it has become aware of a data breach that affected some of its clients last month.

This evening, West Fargo Public Schools sent out a message to parents thatt says the incident “may impact all ND districts”.

It goes on to say:

“Out of an abundance of caution, the North Dakota Information Technology Department (NDIT) has temporarily locked down access to PowerSchool for any user who is not connected to the state network. Until further notice, this means that WFPS parents/guardians will be unable to access PowerSchool unless they connect to the district’s network. If you need information like grades or attendance, please contact your child’s school for assistance. Your learner will be able to access their PowerSchool record while at school.

NDIT is working with PowerSchool and ND school districts to evaluate the scope of the incident. As soon as additional information is available from NDIT, an update will be provided to families.

Thank you for your understanding and flexibility as we navigate this situation.”

According to the platform, the potential cybersecurity incident involved unauthorized access to student and teacher information through one of its community-focused customer support portals where someone gained access using compromised credentials.

Cybersecurity publication BleepingComputer reports that the information exposed was primarily contact information, like names and addresses, but some districts may have included Social Security numbers, medical information and more personally identifiable information in their data.

Representatives with PowerSchool said no other products were affected in the incident.

“Rest assured, we have taken all appropriate steps to prevent the data involved from further unauthorized access or misuse,” the company shared. “We are equipped to conduct a thorough notification process to all impacted individuals.”

PowerSchool’s website says it has powered school operations since 1997, serving over 45 million students in 15,000 schools and districts.

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