New Data Breach Exposes Thousands of CPS Students’ Info
Data Breach Overview
Chicago Public Schools (CPS) and law enforcement are investigating a data breach that exposed current and former students’ personal information. The breach was caused by a cyber-attack on Cleo, a file transfer software vendor used by the school district, which occurred late last year. The attacker accessed and published the student data to the dark web.
Affected Student Data
The data breach affected approximately 700,000 students dating back to the 2017-18 school year. The compromised data includes:
* Names
* Dates of birth
* Gender
* CPS student ID numbers
* Medicaid ID numbers and dates of eligibility for students enrolled in Medicaid
Data Not Exposed
Fortunately, the following types of data were not exposed in the breach:
* Social Security numbers
* Financial information
* Health information
Response and Investigation
CPS immediately notified law enforcement, including the FBI and the Illinois Attorney General’s Office, of the data breach. The school district is working closely with law enforcement to investigate the incident and determine the extent of the breach.
CPS’s Commitment to Data Security
CPS is committed to the security of student information and has taken proactive measures to protect it. The school district includes strong provisions in its vendor contracts to ensure the protection of student data. CPS will continue to adapt its security posture to reduce the risk of future breaches.
Conclusion
The data breach is a serious incident that has compromised the personal information of thousands of CPS students. While the school district is working to investigate and contain the breach, it is important for parents and students to be aware of the risks and take steps to protect their personal information.
FAQs
* What was the cause of the data breach?
The data breach was caused by a cyber-attack on Cleo, a file transfer software vendor used by the school district.
* What types of student data were exposed?
The exposed data includes names, dates of birth, gender, CPS student ID numbers, and Medicaid ID numbers and dates of eligibility for students enrolled in Medicaid.
* What types of data were not exposed?
Social Security numbers, financial information, and health information were not exposed in the breach.
* What is CP’s response to the data breach?
CPS immediately notified law enforcement and is working to investigate and contain the breach. The school district is also reviewing its security measures to reduce the risk of future breaches.
