Data breach exposes student data in St. Johns County (Melanie Lawson - News4Jax via Jacksonville Today, February 5, 2025)

Was someone negligent in St. Johns County Schools or one of its many vendors?  You tell me. From News4Jax via Jacksonville Today: 

Data breach exposes student data in St. Johns County

By Melanie Lawson - News4Jax

A data breach at a provider of educational services exposed the personal data of students in St. Johns County schools, the school district said.

In a message to parents, the St. Johns County School District said the cybersecurity incident was discovered Dec. 28 at PowerSchool, a global provider of educational software and service. Personal information of students was exported, including students’ names, contact information and dates of birth

The district said there is no evidence that Social Security numbers were compromised.

PowerSchool gave the St. Johns County School District a list of affected users on Jan. 13.

Two weeks later, the company began offering two years of complimentary identity protection services through Experian to the students who were affected.

Parents and guardians will receive direct email notifications with instructions on how to enroll in those services or they use this link to register.

Families are encouraged to check their account statements for any suspicious activity. PowerSchool emphasized it will never request personal or account information via phone or email.

A toll-free call center has also been set up for any questions about the data breach.

The district said PowerSchool is working with cybersecurity experts to investigate the data breach and monitor for any misuse of information. They have assured the district that no identity theft has been linked to the breach.

The district said it is assessing its relationship with PowerSchool and “is committed to ensuring the security of student information in the future.”

Updates on the cybersecurity incident can be found on the district’s website and PowerSchool’s incident information page. You can also call 833-918-9464.

This story was produced by News4Jax, a Jacksonville Today news partner.