SOMERSET COUNTY, MD – Officials from the local school district have revealed that a cyber attack has compromised the personal data of students, families, and staff members.
On January 10, Somerset County Public Schools announced the incident. They explained that on January 7, PowerSchool, the provider for their student information system, reported a cybersecurity issue that impacted clients across the country.
According to school officials, the compromised data includes contact details such as names and addresses. PowerSchool has identified that for some individuals, certain personally identifiable information (PII), including social security numbers, might have been affected. They are currently investigating to see if PII belonging to students and staff was part of the breach. However, SCPS confirmed that PowerSchool has deleted the compromised data file, making it no longer accessible.
In their statement, SCPS emphasized: “While PowerSchool is accountable for the breach and its consequences, our team acted promptly upon receiving the notification and is still investigating the situation. We value your trust and are committed to safeguarding the data of our students and staff. We are collaborating with PowerSchool and other tech leaders in Maryland to thoroughly evaluate this matter and protect our community.”
School officials noted that their discussions with PowerSchool’s management clarified that there was no proactive measure SCPS could have taken to avert the breach. PowerSchool communicated that the incident was a targeted attack on their company, not specifically aimed at any school system. SCPS assured that, with the help of PowerSchool, they will provide more information and resources (including credit monitoring or identity protection services if necessary) as it becomes available.
