A recent cybersecurity incident on an educational company used across North America may be affecting NWT students.
The targeted software is known as PowerSchool, and is used by Kindergarten to Grade 12 students in the NWT, the rest of Canada, and even the United States. On January 15th, it was confirmed that an unknown culprit gained unauthorized access to the service and may have gained some of the records of students from the Beaufort Delta Division Education Council, Dehcho Divisional Education Council, South Slave Divisional Education Council, Yellowknife Catholic Schools, and Yellowknife Education District No. 1.
Some of the information that may have been accessed includes student names, mailing addresses, phone numbers, email addresses, and possibly even some medical information. The culprits may have been able to gain similar information on parents, legal guardians, and school faculty.
An investigation conducted by PowerSchool has learned that the breach was conducted with the use of a compromised login credential. As soon as the company learned of the breach, they engaged the proper security responses. The breach has since been contained.
The Office of the Chief Information Officer is looking into the matter as it pertains to schools within the NWT. Staff and students of the schools that have been impacted by this breach will be contacted, and additional information will be shared as it becomes available.
