Cyber Incident Victim: Commack School District
Date:
May 2015
Location:
United States of America
Summary
Three students at a Long Island high school installed a keylogging device on a school computer to steal login credentials, enabling unauthorized access to the school's system. They altered grades for themselves and another student, modified schedules for hundreds, and accessed student IDs, names, addresses, and contact information, though no sensitive data like Social Security numbers was compromised. The breach was detected and contained by the district, which corrected the changes and prevented further access. The perpetrators were arrested and charged with offenses including burglary and computer tampering.
| CIA Posture | Motives | Tactics, Techniques & Procedures |
|---|---|---|
| Available to members | 1 motive | 1 technique |
| Threat Actors | Type | Location |
|---|---|---|
| 3 actors | Available to members | Available to members |
Description
In May and June 2015, three Commack High School seniors—Daniel Soares (17), Eric Vaysman (17), and Alex Mosquera (17)—executed unauthorized access to the school’s computer system. Soares physically entered the school after hours on May 26 and attached a keylogging device to a classroom computer keyboard, repeating this action in June. The device recorded keystrokes, enabling Soares to retrieve login credentials used by school staff. Using these stolen credentials, Soares infiltrated the student data management system and altered academic records. He inflated his own grades in physics, economics, and history while modifying Vaysman’s grades. The perpetrators also changed class schedules for approximately 300 students, mirroring a plotline from the 1987 film *Ferris Bueller’s Day Off*. The compromised system contained student ID numbers, names, addresses, contact details, and schedules, though no Social Security numbers or similarly sensitive data was accessed.
School administrators detected the unauthorized system access and notified the Suffolk County Police Department’s Computer Crimes Section in late summer 2015. Investigators traced the intrusion to Soares’ residence and executed a search warrant on September 2. Soares initially evaded authorities but surrendered approximately one week later. All three students were arrested on October 20 and arraigned the following day: Soares faced felony charges of burglary and computer tampering, while Vaysman and Mosquera were charged with computer trespass. They were released without bail pending further proceedings. The school district reset compromised passwords and implemented network protocol adjustments to prevent further access. All altered grades and schedules were corrected before official distribution to students, avoiding academic disruptions. Students interviewed expressed surprise at the perpetrators’ actions, noting Soares’ participation in the computer science club and speculating about college-related pressures as motivation.