Ride the Lightning

Law Firm Causes Breach of Student Information

November 18, 2014

Hat tip to Dave Ries.

A television news report indicated that Seattle Public Schools sent home a letter to all parents last Thursday, notifying them of a security breach involving the private, personal records of thousands of students. And a law firm was the source – ouch!

The letter from interim superintendent Dr. Larry Nyland read in part:

"Late Tuesday night Seattle Public Schools learned that a law firm retained by the district to handle a complaint against the district inadvertently sent personally identifiable student information to an individual involved in the case. The district promptly removed the law firm from the case and is working to ensure that all improperly released records are retrieved or destroyed.

Protection of student privacy is of critical importance, and this inadvertent release of student information is unacceptable. Confidential information about several thousand of our students was improperly released. They are primarily Special Education students. Seattle Public Schools is reporting the release of student information to the U.S. Department of Education and is asking for their assistance in investigating how this happened."

The breach involved at least 8,000 special education students. The records that were mistakenly shared included their names, addresses, student identification numbers, test scores, disabilities, and many more personal details.

The individual who received the information reported the breach, so it is likely that the damage will be contained, but this is yet another wake-up call for law firms . . .

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Digital Forensics/Information Security/Information Technology
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