Millions of California students hit by data breach

A hacker accessed the personal data of millions of California students by exploiting the systems of a non-profit contractor, the California Department of Education said on Friday.

The compromised records include names, birth dates, addresses, and disability status, and cover all students enrolled in the three school years, states a report by Reuters on the matter. More than 5.7 million students were enrolled in California during the 2025-2026 school year.

The contractor, Educational Testing Service, identified the breach on September 25 and began notifying students and families on Friday. According to the education department, an unauthorised party used a compromised login credential to reach a secure file transfer protocol site and copy files at various points between May 22 and September 18, 2026. The breach was discovered late last month but had been ongoing since May.

The department said the testing service has not found that any of the information has been made public, and that Social Security numbers and sensitive financial information were not accessed.

In an October 2 letter to county and district school officials, the agency said the testing service had halted normal enrolment data processing. The department said it is working to minimise disruption and resume affected assessment activities promptly. Educational Testing Service administers statewide assessments in California, including English language proficiency tests.

In a statement to Reuters, the organisation said it had added safeguards, including enhanced monitoring, stronger access controls, and further third-party review of its security practices. It said its priority remained the students, families, and educators it serves.

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