PowerSchool hacker jailed for four years

CyberScoop reports that a Massachusetts man Matthew Lane has been given a four-year prison sentence after hacking the education software company PowerSchool, which exposed data from 70 million students and faculty members.

Lane, who pleaded guilty to breaching PowerSchool systems and a U.S. telecom firm, has also been ordered to pay $14.1 million in restitution and a $25,000 fine. Federal prosecutors had sought an eight-year sentence, arguing Lane's crimes reflect a pattern of cyberattacks dating back to 2021.

They called last year's PowerSchool hack the largest known data breach involving American schoolchildren. Lane threatened to leak the data unless PowerSchool settled a ransom of nearly $2.9 million, which the firm ultimately paid. He forfeited about $161,000 tied to his crimes.

"The money he returned is barely one percent of the financial loss he caused," prosecutors said, adding that roughly $3 million in illicit proceeds remain missing. Lane must report to prison by Dec. 1.