<p><a href="http://www.buffalonews.com/home/story/321395.html" target="_blank">http://www.buffalonews.com/home/story/321395.html</a><br></p><p>Several current and former Williamsville North High School students
are believed to have broken into the school district's computer system
last month and copied secure files that included the personal
information and Social Security numbers of school employees,
authorities say. </p><p>This computer breach marks the third time in
the past month that students have gained unauthorized access to
sensitive information in area school districts. </p><p>Students in the Grand Island and West Seneca districts have been charged with unauthorized computer use. </p><p>"From
talking with staff and from talking with students involved, we know
these students gained access to personal information regarding
employees of the school district," Amherst Police Chief John Askey
said. </p><p>The students, Askey said, overrode the security defenses
of a classroom computer at Williamsville North and went trolling for
information. </p><p>"They actively attacked the system — subverted those security procedures and precautions," he said. </p><p>He added that several of the hackers are considered "very bright kids" and good students with no lengthy disciplinary records. </p>
<p>The
extent of the security breach remains unknown because police are
required to have computer evidence extracted by the Western New York
Regional Computer Forensics Laboratory, Askey said, which might take
several weeks. </p><p>But he added that police know the students may
have accessed personal staff data. This prompted Superintendent Howard
S. Smith to send a letter this week to the district's 1,800 employees,
asking them to notify Amherst police if they uncover any suspicious
credit card or banking activity.</p><p>
[...] </p>