Perpetrator of Powerschool Student Hack to Plead Guilty
A shocking development has unfolded in the investigation into the 2024 PowerSchool software hack that compromised the personal information of millions of students and teachers across North America. According to a recent release from prosecutors, a 19-year-old U.S. student named Matthew Lane has agreed to plead guilty to his role in the cybercrime. The charges against Lane include one count each of cyber extortion conspiracy, cyber extortion, unauthorized access to protected computers, and aggravated identity theft.
Prosecutors declined to name the specific company targeted in the hack, but the details they shared match the known 2024 PowerSchool software breach that affected students and teachers in Canada and the United States. The breach is believed to have compromised the personal information of approximately 60 million students and 10 million teachers.
According to authorities, Lane worked with a co-conspirator to extort companies for cryptocurrency, with the hackers demanding $2.85 million (approximately C$3.94 million CAD) from PowerSchool. The company reportedly paid the hackers in exchange for the promise that the stolen data would be deleted.
However, in early May, several schools reported receiving extortion attempts from individuals claiming to have access to the allegedly deleted data. PowerSchool confirmed that the leaked data still matched what was initially obtained during the hack, casting doubt on the company's claims.
The Torondo District School Board has revealed that the data breach may have impacted students as far back as 1985, although they emphasized that they do not store social security numbers or financial information. Personal information such as date of birth, medical history, address, and more were compromised in the breach.
Unfortunately, this incident is not an isolated one. The data breach also affected twenty other Ontario school boards, as well as those in Alberta, Newfoundland and Labrador, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, Manitoba, and the Northwest Territories. While none of the allegations have been proven in a court of law, the sheer scale of this cyberattack serves as a stark reminder of the importance of online security measures.
The case against Matthew Lane is ongoing, with the exact details of his plea deal yet to be made public. As the investigation continues, it remains unclear whether other individuals or groups were involved in the hacking scheme. One thing is certain, however: this incident highlights the urgent need for robust cybersecurity protocols and vigilance from organizations and individuals alike.