PowerSchool Cybersecurity Incident
Pennsville School District
Pennsville School District
As you may be aware, PowerSchool - a cloud-based software vendor (used in our district since 2000) recently experienced a cybersecurity incident involving unauthorized access to certain information in the PowerSchool Student Information System (SIS).
We are sharing the information and next steps we recently received directly from PowerSchool:
Identity Protection and Credit Monitoring Services: PowerSchool has engaged Experian, a trusted credit reporting agency, to offer two years of complimentary identity protection services for all students and educators whose information from our PowerSchool SIS was involved. This offer will also include two years of complimentary credit monitoring services for all adult students and educators whose information was involved.
Notification to Individuals Involved: Starting in the next few weeks, in collaboration with Experian, PowerSchool will provide notice to students (or their parents / guardians if the student is under 18) and educators whose information was involved, as well as a phone number to answer any questions you may have about the incident. The notice will include the identity protection and credit monitory services offer (as applicable).
As soon as PowerSchool learned of the incident, they engaged cybersecurity response protocols and mobilized senior leadership and third-party cybersecurity experts to conduct a forensic investigation of the scope of the incident and to monitor for signs of information misuse. PowerSchool is not aware of any identity theft attributable to this incident.
In the meantime, you are encouraged to visit https://www.powerschool.com/security/sis-incident/ for up-to-date information on the cybersecurity incident. We care deeply about the welfare of our Pennsville School District families and will continue to do everything we can to support you. Thank you for the important role you play in our community and your shared commitment to putting our students first.
Some details specific to our district in relation to PowerSchool's FAQs:
This does not include any students / educators / staff who left the district prior to the year 2000 when Pennsville began using the PowerSchool SIS.
Information contained in the students data file may include student name, date of birth, address, home phone number. It may also include a parent/guardian name, phone number, email, and address. Medical information and social security numbers (with the exception of a very small number of individuals who no longer attend school here will be notified separately) are not contained in the compromised data file. This data file contains demographic information only and does not contain any login information or any other educational records.
Information contained in the teachers data file (teachers/staff/etc.) may include staff name, date of birth, address, and phone number in addition to the name and phone number of emergency contacts in some cases. Medical information and social security numbers (with the exception of a very small number of individuals who are not currently employed by the district will be notified separately) are not contained in the data file. This data file contains demographic information only and does not contain any login information or any other educational records.
UPDATE - January 29, 2025
Details on this update and future updates are available on PowerSchool's site: https://www.powerschool.com/security/sis-incident/
PowerSchool has started the process of distributing direct email notifications to involved individuals. The email notice will include further information about the information involved and the resources PowerSchool is offering. Additionally, they have coordinated with Experian to set up a call center for families and educators in case there are any questions about these offerings (call center number available on PowerSchool's site linked above).
PowerSchool is offering two years of complimentary identity protection services for all current and former students and educators whose information was determined to be involved. They are also offering two years of complimentary credit monitoring services for all adult students and educators whose information was determined to be involved. This is available regardless of whether an individual’s Social Security Number was included.
All information regarding the activation of and access to these services will be included in the email sent by Experian. Whether or not you receive an email, you may also visit PowerSchool's website to learn how to activate the offering from Experian, linked here:
https://www.powerschool.com/security/sis-incident/notice-of-united-states-data-breach/.