FCPS Data Breach: What & How It Happened?
Twingate Team
•
Jun 20, 2024
In October 2023, Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS) experienced a data breach involving unauthorized access to student information. The school district notified all impacted families and took steps to address the situation. An external review was conducted, and the school system plans to implement additional training for relevant staff.
How many accounts were compromised?
The breach impacted data related to thousands of students.
What data was leaked?
The data exposed in the breach included student information such as names, social security numbers, dates of birth, and other details mostly in spreadsheets.
How was FCPS hacked?
A parent gained access to old thumb drives containing unredacted student files during an in-person review, as the files were unintentionally left within accessible boxes. The parent copied the files and removed them from Fairfax County Public Schools property, leading to the data breach. The exact number of affected students and the extent of the exposed information remains unclear.
FCPS's solution
In response to the hacking incident, FCPS took several measures to enhance security and prevent future breaches. These measures included strengthening IT security processes and procedures, no longer collecting student Social Security numbers, and removing them from their student information system. Additionally, FCPS is participating in an Interagency Internal Audit Authority (IIAA) audit and has hired an outside cybersecurity specialist to investigate their data system and provide recommendations. They are also working with Kroll, a global leader in risk mitigation and response, to offer identity and credit monitoring services to those affected by the data breach for 24 months at no cost.
How do I know if I was affected?
FCPS notified all impacted families of the data breach. If you are a part of the Fairfax County Public Schools community and have not received a notification, you may visit HaveIBeenPwned to check your credentials.
What should affected users do?
In general, affected users should:
Change Your Passwords: Immediately update your passwords for all online accounts. Make sure the new passwords are strong and unique, not previously used on any other platform.
Reset Passwords for Other Accounts: If you've used the same or similar passwords for other online accounts, reset those as well. This is crucial as attackers often try using stolen passwords on multiple sites.
Enable Two-Factor Authentication (2FA): Activate 2FA on your important online accounts. Consider enabling this additional security feature on all other important online accounts to significantly reduce the risk of unauthorized access.
Monitor Your Accounts: Keep an eye on your accounts for any suspicious activity and report it immediately to the respective platform.
For more specific help and instructions related to FCPS's data breach, please contact FCPS Support directly.
Where can I go to learn more?
If you want to find more information on the FCPS data breach, check out the following news articles:
Rapidly implement a modern Zero Trust network that is more secure and maintainable than VPNs.
FCPS Data Breach: What & How It Happened?
Twingate Team
•
Jun 20, 2024
In October 2023, Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS) experienced a data breach involving unauthorized access to student information. The school district notified all impacted families and took steps to address the situation. An external review was conducted, and the school system plans to implement additional training for relevant staff.
How many accounts were compromised?
The breach impacted data related to thousands of students.
What data was leaked?
The data exposed in the breach included student information such as names, social security numbers, dates of birth, and other details mostly in spreadsheets.
How was FCPS hacked?
A parent gained access to old thumb drives containing unredacted student files during an in-person review, as the files were unintentionally left within accessible boxes. The parent copied the files and removed them from Fairfax County Public Schools property, leading to the data breach. The exact number of affected students and the extent of the exposed information remains unclear.
FCPS's solution
In response to the hacking incident, FCPS took several measures to enhance security and prevent future breaches. These measures included strengthening IT security processes and procedures, no longer collecting student Social Security numbers, and removing them from their student information system. Additionally, FCPS is participating in an Interagency Internal Audit Authority (IIAA) audit and has hired an outside cybersecurity specialist to investigate their data system and provide recommendations. They are also working with Kroll, a global leader in risk mitigation and response, to offer identity and credit monitoring services to those affected by the data breach for 24 months at no cost.
How do I know if I was affected?
FCPS notified all impacted families of the data breach. If you are a part of the Fairfax County Public Schools community and have not received a notification, you may visit HaveIBeenPwned to check your credentials.
What should affected users do?
In general, affected users should:
Change Your Passwords: Immediately update your passwords for all online accounts. Make sure the new passwords are strong and unique, not previously used on any other platform.
Reset Passwords for Other Accounts: If you've used the same or similar passwords for other online accounts, reset those as well. This is crucial as attackers often try using stolen passwords on multiple sites.
Enable Two-Factor Authentication (2FA): Activate 2FA on your important online accounts. Consider enabling this additional security feature on all other important online accounts to significantly reduce the risk of unauthorized access.
Monitor Your Accounts: Keep an eye on your accounts for any suspicious activity and report it immediately to the respective platform.
For more specific help and instructions related to FCPS's data breach, please contact FCPS Support directly.
Where can I go to learn more?
If you want to find more information on the FCPS data breach, check out the following news articles:
Rapidly implement a modern Zero Trust network that is more secure and maintainable than VPNs.
FCPS Data Breach: What & How It Happened?
Twingate Team
•
Jun 20, 2024
In October 2023, Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS) experienced a data breach involving unauthorized access to student information. The school district notified all impacted families and took steps to address the situation. An external review was conducted, and the school system plans to implement additional training for relevant staff.
How many accounts were compromised?
The breach impacted data related to thousands of students.
What data was leaked?
The data exposed in the breach included student information such as names, social security numbers, dates of birth, and other details mostly in spreadsheets.
How was FCPS hacked?
A parent gained access to old thumb drives containing unredacted student files during an in-person review, as the files were unintentionally left within accessible boxes. The parent copied the files and removed them from Fairfax County Public Schools property, leading to the data breach. The exact number of affected students and the extent of the exposed information remains unclear.
FCPS's solution
In response to the hacking incident, FCPS took several measures to enhance security and prevent future breaches. These measures included strengthening IT security processes and procedures, no longer collecting student Social Security numbers, and removing them from their student information system. Additionally, FCPS is participating in an Interagency Internal Audit Authority (IIAA) audit and has hired an outside cybersecurity specialist to investigate their data system and provide recommendations. They are also working with Kroll, a global leader in risk mitigation and response, to offer identity and credit monitoring services to those affected by the data breach for 24 months at no cost.
How do I know if I was affected?
FCPS notified all impacted families of the data breach. If you are a part of the Fairfax County Public Schools community and have not received a notification, you may visit HaveIBeenPwned to check your credentials.
What should affected users do?
In general, affected users should:
Change Your Passwords: Immediately update your passwords for all online accounts. Make sure the new passwords are strong and unique, not previously used on any other platform.
Reset Passwords for Other Accounts: If you've used the same or similar passwords for other online accounts, reset those as well. This is crucial as attackers often try using stolen passwords on multiple sites.
Enable Two-Factor Authentication (2FA): Activate 2FA on your important online accounts. Consider enabling this additional security feature on all other important online accounts to significantly reduce the risk of unauthorized access.
Monitor Your Accounts: Keep an eye on your accounts for any suspicious activity and report it immediately to the respective platform.
For more specific help and instructions related to FCPS's data breach, please contact FCPS Support directly.
Where can I go to learn more?
If you want to find more information on the FCPS data breach, check out the following news articles:
Solutions
Solutions
The VPN replacement your workforce will love.
Solutions