A 20-year-old Massachusetts resident, Matthew Lane, has been sentenced to four years in federal prison for breaching the network of educational software provider PowerSchool, resulting in the theft of sensitive data affecting millions of students and teachers. U.S. District Judge Margaret Guzman delivered the sentence in Worcester, Massachusetts. Lane had previously pleaded guilty to multiple charges, including cyber extortion, aggravated identity theft, and unauthorized access to protected computers in June.
The cyber attack compromised the personal information of over 60 million students and 10 million teachers across the country. The exposed data included names, addresses, and Social Security numbers, marking a considerable breach that became public knowledge in December. In addition to the prison sentence, Lane has been ordered to pay more than $14 million in restitution, coupled with a fine of $25,000.
A representative from PowerSchool expressed gratitude toward law enforcement for their role in apprehending Lane. At the time of his arrest, he was enrolled at Assumption University in Worcester. Prosecutors indicated that Lane had earlier exploited a breach at a telecommunications firm, posing as a member of a notorious hacking group and demanding a ransom of $200,000 to avert the release of stolen data.
Using stolen login credentials, Lane accessed PowerSchool’s network and subsequently issued a ransom threat of $2.85 million in bitcoin, leading the company to make the difficult decision to pay the ransom to secure the sensitive information from being made public.
This incident underscores the growing threat of cybercrime within the education sector and the dire repercussions of such malicious actions. The legal consequences Lane faces serve as a significant reminder of the need for robust protective measures against data breaches in educational institutions. As technology continues to advance, ongoing awareness and proactive strategies will be essential to safeguard the personal information of students and educators.