On Jan. 9, 2025, we learned of a data security incident at PowerSchool that occurred on or around Dec. 22, 2024, that may have compromised the personal information of certain current and former CAIU staff and students. The information below was provided to staff and families. It includes important information about the nature of this cybersecurity incident and response actions.

What Happened?

As you may be aware, PowerSchool, a global company that provides student information management services to thousands of entities, experienced a worldwide cybersecurity incident. CAIU utilizes PowerSchool for its student information system.

Did CAIU Experience a Cybersecurity Breach?

No. CAIU’s systems were not breached. PowerSchool is a vendor of CAIU and it was PowerSchool who had an unauthorized party breach of its systems.

What Personal Information Was Accessed?

PowerSchool has informed CAIU that the nature of CAIU’s data within PowerSchool’s system that was accessed may include sensitive information such as names, addresses, demographic information, and social security numbers.

What Has PowerSchool Done to Remedy the Breach?

To date, PowerSchool has taken swift action to address the breach, including:

• Engaging third-party cybersecurity experts and law enforcement to assist in their investigation.
• Deactivating the compromised credentials and restricting access to the affected portal.
• Implementing a complete password reset and enhanced access controls to prevent future incidents.

What Is CAIU Doing to Support Our Staff and Families?

CAIU is actively working with PowerSchool to gain additional information about the cybersecurity incident so that it can further assess the situation and take steps to protect and support all impacted individuals. CAIU will continue to actively monitor the situation and assist in facilitating additional information when it becomes available.

What Can You Do to Protect Yourself?

We strongly advise that you take preventive measures to help prevent and detect any misuse of your information. We recommend that you closely monitor your financial accounts and if you see any unauthorized activity, you should promptly contact your financial institution. Additionally, you may want to contact the three U.S. credit reporting agencies (Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion) to obtain a free credit report from each by calling 1.877.322.8228 or by logging onto www.annualcreditreport.com. Even if you do not find any suspicious activity on your initial credit reports, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) recommends that you check your credit reports periodically. Checking your credit reports periodically can help you spot a problem and address it quickly.

What Are the Next Steps?

CAIU will continue to communicate any updates and resources provided by PowerSchool for impacted individuals as they become available on this webpage.

Although PowerSchool is taking responsibility for the unauthorized breach of its systems, CAIU recognizes the concerning nature of cybersecurity incidents such as this and apologizes for any inconvenience this may cause.

How Can I Ask Questions or Receive Updates?

For the latest details on this incident, additional updates, or information on how to reach out to CAIU with further questions, please continue to check this webpage. 

We are committed to keeping you informed and rest assured that we are prioritizing the safety and privacy of your data.