Student Hacker Sought Class Rankings Data

  • By Dian Schaffhauser
  • 03/10/08
##AUTHORSPLIT##<--->

Chicago newspapers reported on a student who hacked into the computer system of the New Trier Township High School District. The intent, according to investigators, was to obtain grades and ACT scores to determine class rank and share it with other students. The information was made public by the school district in a recent memo to parents.

According to the Chicago Tribune the student obtained student directory information and semester grades for the current and last three graduating classes, as well as ACT test scores for the class of 2008. According to coverage in the Chicago Sun-Times, no data was altered or destroyed, nor did the student copy Social Security numbers, discipline records, or health or attendance data. Nor, according to the memo, does the district believe that the student "has shared or posted the information on any public forum."

According to the district's Web site, it will shortly be hosting a staff, faculty, and parent discussion titled, "Ethical Conduct at New Trier: A Parent Perspective."

Get daily news from THE Journal's RSS News Feed

About the author: Dian Schaffhauser is a writer who covers technology and business for a number of publications. Contact her at [email protected].

Proposals for articles and tips for news stories, as well as questions and comments about this publication, should be submitted to David Nagel, executive editor, at [email protected].

About the Author

Dian Schaffhauser is a former senior contributing editor for 1105 Media's education publications THE Journal, Campus Technology and Spaces4Learning.

Featured

  • The First Steps of Establishing Your Cloud Security Strategy

    In this guide, we'll identify some first steps you can take to establish your cloud security strategy. We'll do so by discussing the cloud security impact of individual, concrete actions featured within the CIS Critical Security Controls® (CIS Controls®) and the CIS Benchmarks™.

  • Human Error Remains the Leading Cause of Cloud Data Breaches

    Human error is still one of the biggest threats to cloud security, despite all the technology bells and whistles and alerts and services out there, from multi-factor authentication, to social engineering training, to enterprise-wide integrated cybersecurity platforms, and more.

  • Abstract illustration of a human news reporter interviewing an AI with a microphone

    AI on AI in Education: A Dialogue

    Scholars are doing lots of asking and predicting about the risks and rewards of generative artificial intelligence in school, but has anyone asked the all-knowing chatbots?

  • Pattern of desks with interconnected circles, triangles, and lines

    Classroom Furniture Giveaway Seeks Dream Learning Space Design

    Educators have a chance to design their ideal K-12 learning space in a contest recently announced by classroom furniture manufacturer KI.