We rank vendors based on rigorous testing and research, but also take into account your feedback and our commercial agreements with providers. This page contains affiliate links.
Disclosure:
Professional Reviews

vpnMentor contains reviews that are written by our community reviewers. These take into consideration the reviewers’ independent and professional examination of the products/services.

Ownership

vpnMentor was established in 2014 as an independent site reviewing VPN services and covering privacy-related stories. Today, our team of hundreds of cybersecurity researchers, writers, and editors continues to help readers fight for their online freedom in partnership with Kape Technologies PLC, which also owns the following products: ExpressVPN, CyberGhost, ZenMate, Private Internet Access, and Intego, which may be reviewed on this website.

Affiliate Commissions Advertising

vpnMentor contains reviews that follow the strict reviewing standards, including ethical standards, that we have adopted. Such standards require that each review will take into consideration the independent, honest and professional examination of the reviewer. That being said, we may earn a commission when a user completes an action using our links, at no additional cost to them. On listicle pages, we rank vendors based on a system that prioritizes the reviewer’s examination of each service, but also considers feedback received from our readers and our commercial agreements with providers.

Reviews Guidelines

The reviews published on vpnMentor are written by community reviewers that examine the products according to our strict reviewing standards. Such standards ensure that each review prioritizes the independent, professional and honest examination of the reviewer, and takes into account the technical capabilities and qualities of the product together with its commercial value for users. The rankings we publish may also take into consideration the affiliate commissions we earn for purchases through links on our website.

SchoolDude Breach Compromised 3 Million User Accounts

SchoolDude Breach Compromised 3 Million User Accounts
Keira Waddell Published on 16th May 2023 Senior Writer

Brightly Software, a US tech company, has disclosed a breach within the database of its SchoolDude platform. The breach occurred in April, and resulted in hackers compromising nearly three million user accounts. SchoolDude is a cloud-based work order management system used by over 7,000 colleges, universities, and grade schools in school districts with up to 600,000 students.

The stolen data is believed to include names, email addresses, account passwords, phone numbers, and school district names. The affected users include school employees such as principals, executives, maintenance workers, and other staff members who submit repair requests, along with the students themselves.

Those affected received a notification from Brightly Software regarding the incident, where the company stated that an unauthorized actor had gained access to the SchoolDude user database, compromising certain account information. Bleeping Computer reported that the incident affected a total of 2,964,292 customers and users of SchoolDude. Moreover, a system administrator on Reddit, who received the breach notification, reported that the stolen data was not encrypted.

In response to the breach, Brightly Software took swift action to reset the passwords of all SchoolDude users. Brightly emphasized the importance of using strong passwords for each online account. Additionally, those using their SchoolDude password for other accounts are advised to promptly change their passwords on those platforms.

Brightly Software promptly reported the incident to relevant law enforcement authorities and enlisted the services of third-party security experts to investigate the attack. According to a notification filed with the Office of Maine's Attorney General, the breach occurred between April 20 and April 28.

Brightly, a subsidiary of Siemens, has many other SaaS solutions used by more than 12,000 organizations worldwide, primarily in the US, Canada, Australia, and the United Kingdom.

Affected customers are advised to remain vigilant and closely monitor their accounts for any signs of suspicious activity. In light of this security incident, and other similar recent incidents, it is crucial for readers to protect their online data by using strong and unique passwords. Using a password generator and manager, along with regularly updating passwords, is the best way to protect your online credentials.

About the Author

Keira is an experienced cybersecurity and tech writer dedicated to providing comprehensive insights on VPNs, online privacy, and internet censorship.