Some Arlington Public Schools employees and their families may have been affected by a data breach targeting their visitor management system.
A data breach affecting school software company Raptor Technologies may have left information vulnerable in some Northern Virginia school systems.
Arlington Public Schools, for example, uses the company’s software for its visitor management system, the district said in a memo to staff and families Friday.
Chief Operating Officer John Mayo wrote that the district does not know exactly what information was exposed or if anyone had access to it.
Mayo said in the memo that Raptor Technologies contacted the district “regarding the discovery of some APS data that was leaked to an external party for an unspecified period of time.”
The breach affected many school systems across the country, Mayo wrote, and “Upon learning of the breach, Raptor secured accessible information and began an investigation.”
ARL Now first reported the breach.
Mayo said Arlington schools use the system to manage school volunteers and visitors.
June Prakash, president of the Arlington Education Association, said usage of the system varies by school. In some cases, school guests will sign in on paper to receive a guest pass, she said.
“My biggest concern is, if I walk into a building, will I be able to scan my driver’s license instead of entering my first and last name to get a visitor badge?” Prakash said. “It’s concerning that that type of information exists and how it could be used in a data breach.”
It’s unclear whether the breach left visitors’ driver’s license information vulnerable.
Mayo said in the memo that the district utilizes a “limited number of services compared to the full range of services provided by Raptor.”
“APS is working with Raptor on this matter and will provide additional information as more information becomes available,” Mayo said. “The safety of our students, staff, and community is our top priority, and we will continue to work with Raptor to ensure we take all necessary steps to protect Raptor information.”
Prakash said he has been working for the school department for eight or nine years and this is the first time this type of violation has occurred.
“If someone finds out my information, is it a big deal?” Isn’t it a big deal? ” Prakash said. “As employees, all we want is answers to our questions, and management to actually be proactive and proactive about any questions we might have.”
Raptor recently notified Prince William County Public Schools about the violation, according to a school spokesperson. The school district has notified federal law enforcement and is investigating the scope of the violation.
However, a spokesperson said: “No sensitive protected personal information was exposed and no PWCS networks or passwords were compromised.”
Meanwhile, a spokesperson for Loudoun County Public Schools said, “Raptor is part of our safety protocols and will not be discussed publicly.”
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