Personal data may have been stolen from P.E.I. schools in wide-ranging breach

The personal data of past and present Prince Edward Island school staff and students may have been stolen in a cyberattack that affected educational institutions across the country. 

The province said it was notified on Jan. 7 that an unauthorized user gained access to PowerSchool, a data management software used by schools on the Island.

Erin McGrath-Gaudet, P.E.I.'s deputy minister of education and early years, sent an email to students, staff, parents and guardians on Jan. 9 informing them of the privacy breach. 

"While this event can be concerning, we have received assurances from PowerSchool that the necessary steps to contain this incident have been taken, and that there is no evidence of continued unauthorized activity," the email reads. 

PowerSchool told the province it has "implemented enhanced internal controls to secure their system, including deactivating the compromised credentials," according to the statement. 

The province is working to identify who on P.E.I. was affected by the breach and will contact those people in the coming weeks, the email said. 

Information that may have been accessed includes names, dates of birth, addresses, phone numbers and other personal information like food allergies. 

The P.E.I. information and privacy commissioner was notified on Jan. 8, and discussions with PowerSchool about credit monitoring and identity protection services for those affected are ongoing, the email said. 

Schools in Alberta, Manitoba, Newfoundland and Labrador, Nova Scotia and Ontario have also been affected by the incident.