The Pennsylvania State Education Association (PSEA) recently experienced a significant data breach, compromising the personal information of 517,487 individuals. This breach has raised concerns about data security within educational organizations.

Details of the Breach

On July 6, 2024, unauthorized access to PSEA's network resulted in the exposure of sensitive personal data. An investigation concluded on February 18, 2025, confirmed that cybercriminals had accessed this information. It appears that PSEA took measures to ensure the deletion of the stolen data, possibly indicating a ransom payment.

Compromised Information

The breach affected a wide range of personal data, including:

  • Full names combined with Date of Birth
  • Driver’s License or State ID numbers
  • Social Security Numbers
  • Financial information such as Account Numbers and Payment Card details
  • Passport and Taxpayer ID Numbers
  • Health Insurance and Medical Information

Response and Mitigation

PSEA has initiated notifications to potentially affected individuals and has involved cybersecurity experts to investigate the incident further. Law enforcement has also been informed. The organization is enhancing its security measures and monitoring to prevent future breaches.

As a precaution, PSEA is offering one year of free credit monitoring and identity restoration services to those impacted. Although there is no evidence of misuse of the compromised data, the organization is taking these steps to protect its members.

Ransomware Involvement

On September 9, 2024, the Rhysida ransomware group claimed responsibility for the breach, demanding a ransom of 20 Bitcoin. The group had listed PSEA on its Tor leak site, but the listing has since been removed.

For more insights into protecting personal data from breaches, visit our Research section.

The link has been copied!