WXYZ reports: Michigan Sate University is confirming that someone breached a database that contains around 400,000 records containing personal information. The breach happened on November 13. According to MSU, that information “included names, Social Security numbers, MSU identification numbers, and in some cases, date of birth of some current and former students and employees. It…
Category: Education Sector
Buffalo Public Schools exposed more than 4,000 records with students’ and parents’ personal information [DISPUTED]
Update: This report has been disputed. BPS claims that their IT department says “this is a dummy test page with no real information.” DataBreaches.net notes that the file was more than 100 pages, populated with information. One record on the first page did appear to be test or dummy data, but because DataBreaches.net did not…
UK: KCL staff offered emotional support, clergy chat to help get over data loss
This might seem more appropriate on Saturday Night Live as a skit, except that it’s not a joke. Alexander J. Martin reports that King’s College London is offering its staff “counseling and prayers to help them get over the data loss suffered during October’s catastrophic IT failure.” The latest missive from management, which stresses it is “particularly mindful”…
Chicago Public Schools worker gave student names, addresses to charter for mailers
Lauren FitzPatrick reports: A Chicago Public Schools employee improperly released some student names, home addresses and current schools to the Noble Network of Charter Schools — details that were used in recruitment mailings sent just before CPS’ official student count, district officials have told some parents in a letter. It’s not clear how the information…
PowerDuke: Widespread Post-Election Spear Phishing Campaigns Targeting Think Tanks and NGOs
Steven Adair writes: In the wake of the 2016 United States Presidential Election, not even six hours after Donald Trump became the nation’s President-Elect, an advanced persistent threat (APT) group launched a series of coordinated and well-planned spear phishing campaigns. Volexity observed five different attack waves with a heavy focus on U.S.-based think tanks and…
TN: Vanderbilt U. Psychological & Counseling Center exposed students’ names in email survey
Sarah Friedman reports: This afternoon, the Psychological & Counseling Center sent an email out to 468 of its clients without blocking the recipients from seeing each other’s names. The content of the email was a satisfaction survey regarding the student’s recent visit to the center. Several students responded to all recipients of the email with…