The Target: PowerSchool is a cloud-based software solutions provider for K-12 schools and districts that supports over 60 million students and over 18,000 customers worldwide. The company offers a full range of services to help school districts operate, including platforms for enrollment, communication, attendance, staff management, learning systems, analytics, and finance.
The Take: PowerSchool has confirmed that the stolen data primarily contains contact details such as names and addresses. However, for some districts, it could also include Social Security numbers, personally identifiable information, medical information, and grades.
The Vector: After investigating the incident, it was determined that the threat actor gained access to the portal using compromised credentials and stole data using an "export data manager" customer support tool. Using this tool, the attacker exported the PowerSchool SIS 'Students' and 'Teachers' database tables to a CSV file, which was then stolen.
This breach is a stark reminder of how strong authentication controls are in an overall robust cybersecurity posture, and that good password hygiene plays a pivotal role in protection.