Update on PowerSchool Cybersecurity Incident

THIRD COMMUNICATION

Feb 5, 2025

Dear Kelsey School Community,

We are writing to provide an update about the cybersecurity incident that PowerSchool, our student information system (SIS) provider, recently experienced. 

We appreciate that more details about this incident that is impacting educational institutions across North America are needed. We have been working diligently to request more details from PowerSchool and ask questions about the details it has provided to date. We have also been investigating this incident ourselves, with assistance from experts.

While PowerSchool has advised that its investigation is still ongoing, it has provided some additional details and next steps:

  • Identity Protection and Credit Monitoring Services: PowerSchool has engaged Experian to offer two years of complimentary identity protection services for all students and educators whose information was involved. PowerSchool has also engaged TransUnion to offer two years of complimentary credit monitoring services for all students and educators whose information was involved and who have reached the age of majority.
  • Notification to Individuals Involved: Starting in the next few weeks, PowerSchool will provide notice to students, parents/guardians, and educators whose information was involved, as well as a phone number to answer any questions they may have about the incident. The notice will include the identity protection and credit monitoring services offered, as mentioned above.
  • PowerSchool is in the process of notifying Canadian regulators about this incident. (Kelsey School Division has already notified the Manitoba Ombudsman.)
  • You may visit https://www.powerschool.com/security/sis-incident/ for up-to-date information on the incident.

Based on our own investigation to date of the information stored in our SIS, we can advise that, except for a small number of mature students whose Social Insurance Number (SIN) were identified as stored in our SIS, no parent/guardian, staff, or student SIN, banking, or credit information has been identified as stored in our SIS. PowerSchool has nevertheless advised us that the identity protection and credit monitoring offers mentioned above will be sent to all individuals with any information involved. With respect to the small number of mature students whose SINs were identified as stored in our SIS, it is not yet known if these were involved in the incident. We have nevertheless already contacted the individuals whose SIN was identified as stored in our SIS out of an abundance of caution. If you did not receive a notice from us stating that your SIN was stored in our SIS, then we have NOT identified your SIN as stored in our SIS.”

We await additional details from PowerSchool about the findings of its investigations, the information involved in this incident, and the timing of the notices it will send. We will provide you a further update on this when available. Rest assured that when we have details to share, we are committed to sharing them.

There continue to be no operational impacts on Kelsey School Division as a result of this incident. PowerSchool has assured us that the incident has been contained.

In Kelsey School Division, we take cybersecurity and protecting information seriously. We will post updates about the PowerSchool cybersecurity incident on our website and social media accounts. 

Thank you for your continued understanding and patience as we navigate this situation. 

Thanks,

Trevor Lane
KSD Superintendent of Schools

Kelsey School Division
322 Edwards Avenue
The Pas, Manitoba, R9A 1R4
Phone: (204) 623-6421

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Update on PowerSchool Cybersecurity Incident

January 20, 2025

SECOND COMMUNICATION

Update on PowerSchool Cybersecurity Incident

Dear Kelsey School Division Community,

We are writing to provide a brief update about the cybersecurity incident that PowerSchool, our student information system provider, recently experienced. 

PowerSchool’s investigation is ongoing and we await additional details from PowerSchool about the information accessed as a result of the incident. We empathize with your concerns about this incident that is impacting educational institutions across North America. We also understand that you may be looking for additional details as well. Rest assured that when we have details to share, we are committed to sharing them.

There have been no operational impacts on Kelsey School Division as a result of this incident. PowerSchool has assured us that the incident has been contained.

In Kelsey School Division, we take cybersecurity and protecting information seriously. We will post updates about the PowerSchool cybersecurity incident on our website and social media accounts.  We have provided below some answers to questions you may have. If you have any additional questions, they can be directed to tlane@ksd.mb.ca 

Thank you for your understanding and patience as we navigate this situation. 

Trevor Lane
KSD Superintendent of Schools

Kelsey School Division
322 Edwards Avenue
The Pas, Manitoba, R9A 1R4

Phone: (204) 623-6421

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

The incident

  1. What happened?

On January 7, 2025, PowerSchool informed Kelsey School Division that it had experienced a cybersecurity incident involving unauthorized access to certain customer information in late December 2024. Kelsey School Division is a customer of PowerSchool, like many other educational institutions across North America. PowerSchool provides a Student Information System (SIS). 

PowerSchool also informed us that the unauthorized access included access to information related to Kelsey School Division. We await additional details from PowerSchool about the information affected and are committing to sharing details when we have them.

We have been informed that PowerSchool has contained the incident and that there is no evidence of malware or continued unauthorized activity in the PowerSchool environment. There have been no operational impacts on Kelsey School Division as a result of this incident.

  1. Who did this and for what purpose?

This incident occurred at PowerSchool. We await additional details about the incident from PowerSchool. Unfortunately, organizations across the public and private sectors are increasingly being impacted by incidents like this.

  1. How did you respond to the incident?

Upon becoming aware of the cybersecurity incident, Kelsey School Division has been working diligently to investigate and to learn additional details from PowerSchool. We await additional details from PowerSchool about the information accessed as a result of this incident so we can take further action.

PowerSchool has informed us that it has taken various response actions, including containing the incident, informing law enforcement, investigating the incident, conducting a full internal password reset, and tightening password security for all of its internal accounts.

  1. How long will the investigation take?

PowerSchool has advised it intends to provide additional details shortly. Once we have additional details from PowerSchool, we will seek to complete our investigation as quickly as possible.

  1. Has the incident been resolved?

We have been informed that PowerSchool has contained the incident and that there is no evidence of malware or continued unauthorized activity in the PowerSchool environment. There have been no operational impacts on Kelsey School Division as a result of this incident.

 

The response

  1. Has law enforcement been notified?

Yes, PowerSchool has advised us that it has notified law enforcement.

  1. Has the Manitoba Ombudsman been advised?

Yes, the Manitoba Ombudsman has been advised.

The impact

  1. Why did this happen to Kelsey School Division?

PowerSchool is a vendor used by many educational institutions in North America. We are a customer of PowerSchool and, as a result of the incident experienced by PowerSchool, we were impacted. We have no reason to believe that Kelsey School Division was a specific target in this incident.

The data

  1. Has information been accessed? Was information from Kelsey School Division exposed?

PowerSchool confirmed that there was unauthorized access to certain PowerSchool customer data, including data related to Kelsey School Division. PowerSchool’s investigation is ongoing and we await additional details from PowerSchool about the information accessed as a result of the incident. We understand that you may be looking for additional details as well. Rest assured that when we have details to share, we are committed to sharing them.

School Closure Friday, January 17, 2025

Due to poor weather conditions and significant snowfall in the region, all schools within the Kelsey Shool Division will be closed Friday, January 17, 2025. This decision has been made to prioritize the safety of out students, staff and families.

We encourage everyone to exercise caution if traveling and to stay safe during this time. Regular school operations are expected to resume Monday, January 20, 2025

Thank you for your understanding and cooperation

Trevor Lane

KSD Superintendent of Schools

Kelsey School Division

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