A data breach at PowerSchool, a leading provider of education software, has impacted millions of students and staff in Canada. The breach, which occurred in December 2024, has prompted a federal investigation by the Office of the Privacy Commissioner. PowerSchool is notifying affected individuals and offering credit monitoring and identity protection services.
A major data breach affecting millions of students and staff across Canada has prompted a federal investigation. The breach, which occurred at the end of December 2024, compromised the data of current and former students and thousands of staff at educational institutions across the country. PowerSchool, a company that provides software solutions for schools, confirmed the breach and initiated notifications to affected individuals.
Federal privacy commissioner Philippe Dufresne stated that he received both a breach report and a complaint from PowerSchool. He emphasized that his immediate priority is ensuring the company takes appropriate measures to contain the breach, protect Canadians' personal information, and mitigate risks for those affected. Dufresne confirmed that PowerSchool is notifying impacted Canadians and offering credit monitoring and identity protection services.The investigation launched by Dufresne's office is being conducted under the Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act (PIPEDA). It aims to determine the full scope of the breach, assess PowerSchool's response, and identify any potential violations of privacy legislation. Global News reached out to every school board in Canada to ascertain the number of affected institutions. Of the responding boards, at least 87 confirmed they were impacted by the breach. Data from these boards revealed that more than 2.77 million students, both current and former, had their information compromised. Additionally, 35,951 staff members, including teachers, were confirmed to be affected. One Nova Scotia school board reported that 3,500 parents' data was also accessed. PowerSchool disclosed that the accessed information included names, contact details, dates of birth, limited medical alert information, and, in some cases, social insurance numbers. A class-action lawsuit was filed last month by Calgary law firm Cuming and Gillespie, though lawyer Craig Gillespie stated there is no immediate need for individuals to take action as the lawsuit still requires certification
DATABREACH POWERSCHOOL PRIVACY INVESTIGATION EDUCATION CANADA
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