The first month of 2025 saw an immediate proliferation of data breaches, ransomware attacks, and leaks — from education to fintech, from cannabis stores to blood donation centers. The events in January point to yet another challenging year for cybersecurity and data privacy. Read on the lowdown.

PowerSchool Data Breach

PowerSchool, a cloud-based educational software provider, suffered a cyberattack on December 28, 2024, which it disclosed on January 7, 2025. A threat actor claims the breach affected over 70 million individuals, exposing the personal data of 62.4 million students and 9.5 million teachers. The attacker accessed the system using stolen credentials and extracted data from PowerSIS databases. 

PowerSchool reportedly paid a ransom, and the hacker claimed to have deleted the stolen data. While the extent of exposure varies by district, fewer than a quarter of affected students are believed to have had their Social Security numbers compromised. Investigations continue, requiring input from both cloud-based and on-premises systems. The company is offering two years of free identity theft protection and credit monitoring to those affected.

Stiiizy

Stiiizy, a popular US-based cannabis brand, suffered a data breach through a compromised third-party point-of-sale vendor, exposing sensitive customer information. Affected data includes names, addresses, birthdates, driver’s license and passport numbers, government ID photos and signatures, medical cannabis cards, and transaction histories. 

The breach raises risks of identity theft, financial fraud, and targeted scams. Given the stigma around cannabis use, stolen data could also be used for blackmail or extortion. Multiple dispensaries in California, including San Francisco, Alameda, and Modesto, were affected. The ransomware group Everest was behind the attack, reportedly stealing data from over 420,000 customers after Stiiizy ignored ransom demands. The group leaked customer data online in late 2024.

New York Blood Center (NYBC) Ransomware Breach

The New York Blood Center (NYBC), one of the largest nonprofit blood centers in the U.S., confirmed a ransomware attack on January 26, 2025. The breach disrupted blood donation services, causing delays and cancellations at a time when NYBC had already declared a “blood emergency” due to low donation levels. 

NYBC responded by taking critical systems offline, engaging cybersecurity experts, and notifying law enforcement. While all blood collection activities resumed by February 3, some manual processes remain, leading to potential delays. The organization is urging donors to step up to stabilize supply. The attackers remain unidentified, and it is unclear if sensitive data was compromised or if a ransom was demanded. NYBC has pledged transparency and will notify affected individuals if data exposure is confirmed.

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Richmond University Medical Center (RUMC) Ransomware Breach

Richmond University Medical Center in New York confirmed that a ransomware attack in May 2023 led to a data breach affecting over 670,000 individuals. While initial investigations suggested electronic health records were not compromised, further analysis revealed that sensitive files were accessed or exfiltrated. 

Exposed data includes names, Social Security numbers, driver’s license and state ID numbers, birthdates, financial and payment information, biometric data, user credentials, medical records, and health insurance details. Affected individuals with compromised SSNs are being offered 12 months of free credit monitoring. 

No ransomware group has claimed responsibility, suggesting a possible ransom payment, though stolen data was confirmed long after typical public disclosures. The breach was officially reported to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services in early 2025, impacting 674,033 individuals.

Medusind Breach

Medusind, a Florida-based medical and dental billing company, confirmed a data breach affecting over 360,000 individuals after detecting an intrusion on December 29, 2023. A forensic investigation revealed that cybercriminals may have stolen sensitive data, including names, birthdates, contact details, health insurance and billing information, payment details, and Social Security numbers.

The company reported the breach to the Maine Attorney General’s Office and is offering two years of free identity monitoring services. However, since notifications were delayed for over a year, compromised data may have already been misused. While the breach resembles a ransomware attack, no cybercrime group has claimed responsibility. It remains unclear whether Medusind paid a ransom to prevent a data leak.

Miio Know Your Customer

Mexican financial services and mobile provider Miio has left nearly 3 million Know Your Customer (KYC) documents exposed on an unprotected cloud storage bucket for several months. The leaked data, discovered by Cybernews in September 2024, includes passports, voter IDs, driver’s licenses, and verification selfies, covering all customers since the company’s 2017 launch.

The exposure puts affected individuals at risk of identity theft, fraud, and other malicious activities. Despite the severity of the leak, Miio appears unaware or unwilling to act. The unsecured data spans from 2017 to 2024, meaning all users may have been impacted.

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