Burien, Wash. – Highline Public Schools notified the community of a cybersecurity incident involving the potential exposure of personal information. The district has detailed the breach, its response efforts, and steps that individuals can take to protect their data.
The incident occurred on September 7, 2024, when Highline discovered that it had fallen victim to a malicious ransomware attack. Immediate measures, including a districtwide school shutdown, were taken to secure the district’s systems, and a thorough investigation was launched with the assistance of third-party computer forensic specialists. The investigation revealed that an unauthorized actor gained access to certain network systems and files.
Following the attack, Highline undertook an exhaustive review of the affected files to assess whether personal data had been compromised and to identify individuals potentially impacted. This review has now been completed.
The types of information affected vary by individual and may include sensitive details such as:
- names
- addresses
- dates of birth
- Social Security numbers
- driver’s license numbers
- financial account information
- passport numbers
- employment records
- digital signatures
- medical and health insurance information
- student identification numbers, demographic details, and grade information
In response, Highline Public Schools has prioritized the protection of privacy, confidentiality, and security. As part of its ongoing efforts to safeguard against future threats, the district has implemented additional security measures, including, but not limited to:
- Upgrading systems to detect and respond to security threats more quickly.
- Tracking all devices in one place for faster and more comprehensive protection.
- Adding tools to detect and block suspicious logins or access instantly.
Federal law enforcement has also been notified of the breach.
On March 16, 2024, Burien.News writer Stuart Jenner reported on concerns of excessive data collection on students:
Emotions, Hackers, Student Data… Are There Risks to Schools Asking Too Many Questions?
To support the community, Highline is offering credit monitoring and identity protection services for a period of 12 months at no cost through the IDX website, a leading provider of identity protection services. Individuals must actively enroll in these services, and instructions on how to do so are provided below in the section titled Steps You Can Take to Help Protect Personal Information.
As a precaution, the district urges everyone to stay vigilant against potential identity theft. Community members should regularly check their account statements, credit reports, and insurance explanations of benefits for any suspicious activity. Any unusual occurrences should be promptly reported to the relevant financial institutions, healthcare providers, or insurance companies.
For further assistance or if you believe your data may have been impacted, Highline has set up a dedicated helpline at 1-877-758-1726. The line is available Monday through Friday, from 6:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. PT (excluding U.S. holidays). Additionally, questions can be directed to Highline at 15675 Ambaum Blvd. SW, Burien, WA 98166.
Additional information shared by the Highline District:
Steps You Can Take To Help Protect Personal Information
Enroll in Monitoring Services
Highline encourages those who feel their information may have been impacted to contact IDX to enroll in the free identity protection services being offered by calling 1-877-758-1726 or going to response.idx.us/HighlinePublicSchools. IDX representatives are available Monday through Friday from 6 am – 6 pm Pacific Time. Please note the deadline to enroll is July 2, 2025.
Monitor Your Accounts
Under U.S. law, a consumer is entitled to one free credit report annually from each of the three major credit reporting bureaus, Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion. To order a free credit report, visit www.annualcreditreport.com or call, toll-free, 1-877-322-8228. Consumers may also directly contact the three major credit reporting bureaus listed below to request a free copy of their credit report.
Consumers have the right to place an initial or extended “fraud alert” on a credit file at no cost. An initial fraud alert is a 1-year alert that is placed on a consumer’s credit file. Upon seeing a fraud alert display on a consumer’s credit file, a business is required to take steps to verify the consumer’s identity before extending new credit. If consumers are the victim of identity theft, they are entitled to an extended fraud alert, which is a fraud alert lasting seven years. Should consumers wish to place a fraud alert, please contact any of the three major credit reporting bureaus listed below.
As an alternative to a fraud alert, consumers have the right to place a “credit freeze” on a credit report, which will prohibit a credit bureau from releasing information in the credit report without the consumer’s express authorization. The credit freeze is designed to prevent credit, loans, and services from being approved in a consumer’s name without consent. However, consumers should be aware that using a credit freeze to take control over who gets access to the personal and financial information in their credit report may delay, interfere with, or prohibit the timely approval of any subsequent request or application they make regarding a new loan, credit, mortgage, or any other account involving the extension of credit. Pursuant to federal law, consumers cannot be charged to place or lift a credit freeze on their credit report. To request a credit freeze, individuals may need to provide some or all of the following information:
- Full name (including middle initial as well as Jr., Sr., II, III, etc.);
- Social Security number;
- Date of birth;
- Addresses for the prior two to five years;
- Proof of current address, such as a current utility bill or telephone bill;
- A legible photocopy of a government-issued identification card (state driver’s license or ID card, etc.); and
- A copy of either the police report, investigative report, or complaint to a law enforcement agency concerning identity theft if they are a victim of identity theft.
Should consumers wish to place a credit freeze or fraud alert, please contact the three major credit reporting bureaus listed below:
| Equifax | Experian | TransUnion |
| www.equifax.com/personal/credit-report-services | www.experian.com/help | www.transunion.com/credit-help |
| 1-888-298-0045 | 1-888-397-3742 | 1-800-916-8800 |
| Equifax Fraud Alert, P.O. Box 105069 Atlanta, GA 30348-5069 | Experian Fraud Alert, P.O. Box 9554, Allen, TX 75013 | TransUnion Fraud Alert, P.O. Box 2000, Chester, PA 19016 |
| Equifax Credit Freeze, P.O. Box 105788 Atlanta, GA 30348-5788 | Experian Credit Freeze, P.O. Box 9554, Allen, TX 75013 | TransUnion Credit Freeze, P.O. Box 160, Woodlyn, PA 19094 |
Additional Information
Consumers may further educate themselves regarding identity theft, fraud alerts, credit freezes, and the steps they can take to protect your personal information by contacting the consumer reporting bureaus, the Federal Trade Commission, or their state Attorney General. The Federal Trade Commission may be reached at: 600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Washington, D.C. 20580; www.identitytheft.gov; 1-877-ID-THEFT (1-877-438-4338); and TTY: 1-866-653-4261.
The Federal Trade Commission also encourages those who discover that their information has been misused to file a complaint with them. Consumers can obtain further information on how to file such a complaint by way of the contact information listed above. Consumers have the right to file a police report if they ever experience identity theft or fraud. Please note that in order to file a report with law enforcement for identity theft, consumers will likely need to provide some proof that they have been a victim. Instances of known or suspected identity theft should also be reported to law enforcement and the relevant state Attorney General. This notice has not been delayed by law enforcement.
