PowerSchool Data Breach Impacts Students, Teachers and Parents in Wake County: What You Need to Know
Intruder exploited credentials of a contract employee to infiltrate customer support portal, allowing access to sensitive information stored within the system.
Holly Springs, NC., Jan. 23, 2025 — Wake County Public School System (WCPSS) recently announced its involvement in a nationwide cybersecurity breach affecting PowerSchool, a widely used educational technology platform. The breach, detected on December 28, 2024, compromised personal data belonging to millions of individuals nationwide, including current and former students and staff in Wake County.
What Happened?
The breach was caused by unauthorized access to PowerSchool’s Student Information System (SIS). According to PowerSchool, the attacker exploited the credentials of a contract employee to infiltrate the PowerSource customer support portal. This allowed access to sensitive information stored within the system.
What Data Was Stolen?
In Wake County, the following information was compromised:
Students: Names, addresses, dates of birth, student identification numbers, gender, ethnicity, parent/guardian names, email addresses, phone numbers, and emergency contact details.
Staff: Full names, street addresses, some Social Security Numbers (SSNs), home phone numbers, and work-related email addresses.
Notably, WCPSS clarified that no student SSNs were included in the breach.
Nationwide, compromised data included SSNs for some individuals and limited medical alert information, depending on the district.
What Should You Do?
PowerSchool has offered all affected individuals two years of complimentary identity protection and credit monitoring services. Here’s how to protect yourself:
Monitor Financial Activity: Keep a close eye on bank and credit card statements for unusual transactions.
Freeze Your Credit: Contact the major credit bureaus to place a security freeze on your credit report to prevent fraudulent accounts.
Equifax: 1-800-349-9960
Experian: 1-888-397-3742
TransUnion: 1-888-909-8872
Request Free Credit Reports: Regularly check your credit reports for discrepancies at AnnualCreditReport.com.
Use Identity Protection Services: Enroll in the services provided by PowerSchool to monitor and safeguard your personal information.
Where to Learn More
For additional details about the breach and steps being taken, visit: