Former software vendor notifies Lexington One of data breach
- Staff Writer
- Aug 31, 2019
- 2 min read
Lexington, SC - London-based educational software maker Pearson recently notified Lexington County School District One about a data security issue that it had with one of its products. Pearson had provided the district with software several years ago.
The specific product, AIMSweb, is an assessment tool. It was used by Lexington County School District One from 2010–2016. The district has not used this software for the past three years and has been assured by Pearson that AIMSweb 1.0 is now offline.
After Pearson notified Lexington District One of the issues, the district’s IT team and administrators worked with the company to understand exactly what could have been exposed. These communications were more focused on Lexington One’s data specifically. The district also asked Pearson about its plans to destroy any data it might have still stored. Pearson representatives said the company intended to delete that as soon as it is no longer needed for the investigation.
A spokesperson for Lexington One said via a press release said that the good news is that their student data affected is limited to students’ first and last names only. No other personal data such as birth dates, middle names, home addresses, schools, or social security numbers were included.
Because it would be difficult to locate and communicate with all the students who were enrolled from 2010–2016, the district emailed all current students’ families Friday morning. They also released this information to the media in an attempt to reach former students.
Though this incident is considered very low risk, the district encourages parents to take advantage of the complimentary credit monitoring provided by Pearson for affected students through Experian. If your child was enrolled in Lexington District One from 2010–2016 and you are interested in learning more about the credit monitoring option offered for your child by Pearson through Experian, call 866-883-3309.
If a parent has other questions related to this data security issue, they can email AIMSweb@lexington1.net.
Data breaches like this highlight the critical need for stronger cybersecurity measures across all industries. It’s a reminder that even trusted vendors can pose risks, emphasizing the importance of vigilance. In tech, much like in game development studio, security and trust must be prioritized to protect users and clients. Investing in robust protection isn’t just smart-it’s essential to maintain confidence and safeguard sensitive information in today’s digital world.
It's concerning to hear about the data breach affecting Lexington One, as data security is critical in today's digital landscape. To help mitigate such risks, organizations should consider using an asset management system to monitor and safeguard their IT assets more effectively. By keeping track of hardware and software through an integrated system, businesses can ensure that all sensitive data is protected, and any potential vulnerabilities are addressed quickly. A robust asset management solution is key to maintaining security and preventing breaches.