Parents learning of “Powerschool” hacking breach

Parents across the region are learning their children’s information was stolen in a breach of America’s number one software for school data. “PowerSchool” is a student information system, and notified school systems of a cyber security incident. Schools are sending messages to parents across the region after a security breach with PowerSchool, which is a program used to track students’ class schedules, grades, birth dates, and contact information. PowerSchool said hackers stole the login for an account used to provide tech support to schools. More than half of school systems in Northeast Tennessee and Southwest Virginia are impacted. PowerSchool’s software serves 60 million students in multiple countries. The company said it shut down the compromised tech support account and paid the hackers a ransom to delete the data. Officials are waiting for answers from PowerSchool about possible compromised data of any former students.