Manitoba schools were recently hit by a cyberattack targeting PowerSchool, a software program that manages sensitive student, parent and staff information. The hackers got their hands on critical data, and PowerSchool paid a ransom to try and limit the damage. But let’s be honest: trusting cybercriminals to delete data is like giving your house keys to a stranger and hoping they don’t go through the drawers.
This incident reminds us that children’s data, like employee data in an office, are treasures for hackers. Here’s why.
Why target children?
You’d think that school information wouldn’t interest many people. Yet it’s a goldmine for cybercriminals:
- A blank history: children have no credit history, which allows fraudsters to create fictitious identities without arousing suspicion.
- No follow-up: parents don’t always monitor whether their children’s data has been compromised. The result? Hackers can exploit this information for years.
- Indirect access to families: children’s information can be used to target their parents directly with sophisticated scams.
The consequences of such an attack
For families, the impact can be major:
- Identity theft: stolen data can be used to take out loans or open fraudulent accounts, often without anyone noticing for years.
- Phishing: hackers can send very convincing e-mails using real information about students and their parents.
- Loss of trust: knowing that your child’s information is out there can cause enormous stress for families.
What it reveals about school cybersecurity
This incident highlights major flaws in school data management:
- Reliance on third-party software: tools like PowerSchool are handy, but they become ideal targets for hackers if not properly secured.
- Lack of resources: school budgets are often too limited to invest in robust protection.
- Insufficient awareness: teachers and administrators are not always trained to recognize threats such as email scams.
Solutions to prevent recurrence
To protect sensitive student and family data, here’s what institutions can do:
- Regular security audits: identify and correct vulnerabilities before they are exploited.
- Constant updates: always keep software up-to-date with the latest patches.
- Proactive monitoring tools: integrate solutions such as EDR and SIEM to detect and block threats in real time.
- Team training: raise staff awareness of risks, such as phishing emails.
- Response plans: have a clear protocol for dealing quickly with cyberattacks and minimizing impacts.
A reminder for everyone
Whether it’s school or work data, cyber attacks are a reminder that security should never be taken lightly. Sensitive information needs to be protected, because once it falls into the wrong hands, it’s often too late.
Thought for the day
“Paying ransom for your data is like patching a hole in a boat with papier-mâché: it may hold for a while, but it always ends up sinking.” 🚢💻