A malicious author requires a ransom to the greatest school board in Canada

The largest school board in the country has received a ransom request from a malicious author in relation to a cyber attack that affected a platform which the advice is used to store information from students.

In a message to parents on Wednesday, the director of education of the Toronto English public school board (TDSB) announced that the Egsb As well as other North American councils have received the request for a ransom. The author used information obtained during the cyber attack in December 2024 in the request.

Business PowerSchoolwhose platform is used by the Egsbannounced to the Toronto school board on January 7 that a malicious author had access to information between December 22 and 28, 2024. Egsb has nearly 239,000 students.

At the time of the facts, PowerSchool warned the affected school councils that the information had had access to the author had been deleted and that no copy had been published online.

In his letter to the parents, the Egsb reveals that PowerSchool had actually paid a ransom to the author to try to delete affected information. The malicious author, however, did not erase the information, despite the ransom.

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As with any event of the genre, there was a risk that the malicious authors do not comply with their commitment to erase stolen information, despite the insurance of PowerSchool.

In a declaration on his website, PowerSchool said it was aware that the malicious author contacted several school boards to extort them using the information from the December 2024 event.

We have expressed this to the police authorities in the United States and Canada and we work closely with our customers to support themlit-on.

PowerSchool Affirms that she paid the ransom since she thought that the measure was in the best interest of her customers and students. It was a difficult decision that was not taken lightlysaid the company based in California.

40 -year -old -touched information

Several personal information from students from 2017 to 2024 is stored in the system PowerSchoolsuch as the name, date of birth, health card number, student identification number and Ontario school registration number.

The information of the students of Egsb Between 1985 and 2017 were also affected. The author was able to have access to their health card number, among others. THE Egsb Explain on his website that he still has this data to respond to requests related to school records.

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The Egsb Indicates on his website that he retains health card numbers In case the student needs urgent medical help during school day. From now on, we will stop keeping this informationlit-on.

Jack Ammendolia, whose son is a student of Egsbworries about the repercussions of events. It is difficult nowadays to help your child sail on social networks and online. This event adds a layer of fear and complexityhe said.

I don’t know how this information can be used and that’s what scares meExplique M. Ammendolia.

It is not good for children and their future. This information can be used abusivereacted Vikas Gupta, another parent.