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Massive Data Breach Exposes Millions of California Students' Personal Information

Massive Data Breach Exposes Millions of California Students' Personal Information

First seen 17 Oct 2026, 16:47 UTC • •
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ThreatCluster AI
ThreatCluster •October 18, 2026 at 16:38 UTC
  • •Data breach affects approximately 7 million California public school students.
  • •Compromised data includes names, addresses, birth dates, and disability status.
  • •The breach was discovered on September 25, 2026, and occurred from May 22 to September 18, 2026.

A significant data breach at Educational Testing Service (ETS) has compromised the personal information of millions of California public school students. The breach, which affects approximately 7 million students, includes names, addresses, birth dates, and disability status. The unauthorized access occurred through a compromised login credential, allowing hackers to access sensitive data between May 22 and September 18, 2026. The California Department of Education confirmed the breach on October 16, 2026, and ETS began notifying affected families the same day. Although no Social Security numbers or financial information were involved, the breach impacts all students enrolled over the past three years. ETS has implemented additional security measures and is offering two years of identity protection services to those affected. The investigation is ongoing, with no evidence yet that the stolen data has been made public.

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Timeline

2026-09-25
Breach identified by ETS
Educational Testing Service discovered unauthorized access involving a compromised login credential.
Nypost
2026-10-02
Notification to school officials
California Department of Education informed county and district school officials about the breach.
Islandpacket
2026-10-16
Public announcement of breach
California Department of Education announced the breach affecting millions of students.
Latimes

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Common questions

What specific data was compromised?
The breach exposed names, addresses, birth dates, and disability status of students, but not Social Security numbers or financial information.
How long did the breach last?
The unauthorized access occurred between May 22 and September 18, 2026.
What actions are being taken for affected individuals?
ETS is providing two years of identity protection services to those affected by the breach.