Josh Shaffer reports: The Wake County school system accidentally sent out about 5,000 postcards with students’ Social Security numbers printed on the front, a mistake that angered parents and will cost the district nearly $100,000 to remedy. On Tuesday, Wake schools mailed about 15,000 reminders asking parents to specify if they want to keep their…
Category: Education Sector
Security breach compromises information on 1,400 District 86 grads
Sandy Illian Bosch reports: A security breach discovered last month at the University of Nebraska involved the names, addresses and Social Security numbers of 1,400 Hinsdale High School District 86 graduates. The breach involved a computer in the College of Education and Human Sciences at the Lincoln campus. The university’s investigation revealed the computer had…
EIU warns of student data security breach (updated)
From the Associated Press: Eastern Illinois University says someone outside the school may have broken into files containing personal information from about 9,000 current and former students and applicants. The university on Friday said it found a number of viruses on a server used by the university’s admissions office that could have provided outside access….
UK: Memory stick given to Bristol boy sparks school data law row
A school has been accused of breaching data laws after it sent a 10-year-old boy home with a computer memory stick which contained sensitive information about his fellow pupils. Carlos McSweeney, who attends the key stage two support centre in Fairlawn Road, Montpelier – a school for children with behaviour problems – was given the…
KS: Wichita Student Private Information Online
Deb Farris reports: Many Wichita parents are angry after learning their children’s names, ages, addresses and phone numbers are listed on an internet web site. […] We tracked it down to the Wichita school district. The website is used to make maps and give directions. A spokesperson for the district says in the fall the…
PA: Students’ social security numbers compromised
Kevin Cirilli reports: A Penn State professor’s grade book from 2001 to 2004 that contained 303 students’ social security numbers, among other personal information, was found to be compromised by a computer virus in the last couple of months. Penn State Security Operations and Services (SOS) discovered the incident and immediately took the personal information…