American student admits hacking into educational technology company to steal tens of millions of user data

Matthew D. Lane, a 19-year-old Massachusetts student, has pleaded guilty to federal hacking charges. Lane hacked into the systems of a major education technology company by stealing login credentials, stealing personal information on more than 60 million students and 10 million teachers, including sensitive data such as Social Security numbers, medical records and academic grades.
According to the indictment, Lane conspired with an Illinois associate to extort a cryptocurrency ransom of about $2.85 million from the victim company. Although the indictment does not directly name names, the details of the case are highly consistent with the data breach disclosed by education software company PowerSchool in September 2024. PowerSchool previously admitted to paying the ransom to the hackers, but did not disclose the specific amount. The case is currently being heard in the Federal District Court of Massachusetts, and the specific sentencing has not been announced.