O.C. high school students allegedly hack computers to change grades

Students at Corona del Mar High School and a private tutor are under investigation for allegedly hacking into the computer system to change grades and access tests, officials said.

The students could face criminal charges on top of disciplinary action from the school, according to the Newport-Mesa Unified School District, the Daily Pilot reported.

“We are shocked and disappointed by the unethical and irresponsible behavior exhibited by the involved students,” district spokeswoman Laura Boss said in a statement Wednesday. “These students made a conscious choice to sidestep the academic rigor of Corona del Mar High School.”

She declined to say how many students were involved in the hacking, which the district discovered Tuesday.

A tutor, who was not affiliated with the district, showed the students how to hack into the computers by using a device known as a key logger, officials told KTLA-TV.

“They plug this device into the back of the computer, on the keyboard cord, so it’s not even identifiable,” Boss said. “They leave it there for a week and a half to two weeks, and then they go and retrieve it. What they’re tracking is keystrokes.”

Newport Beach police are now investigating the alleged hacking.

“It’s shocking, I can’t believe that an adult who’s supposed to be helping these children and mentoring them would tell them to do something like this,” parent Leslye Shamberg told KTLA.

Teachers were also dismayed when the school district held a meeting to inform them of the hacking Wednesday, calling the incident a violation of trust, according to Boss.

“Honesty and integrity are cornerstones of the quality educational program” at the high school, she said. “The students engaging in this unlawful conduct have failed to meet those standards and should be ashamed of their behavior.”

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