Stanford University has announced a data breach affecting 27,000 people after their personal information was stolen during a ransomware attack last year.
The university discovered the attack on September 27 and a month later said it was investigating a cybersecurity affecting SUDPS (Department of Public Safety) systems.
Now, Stanford University says the attackers did not gain access to any systems outside of that specific network.
See also: Acer Philippines: Employee data breach
“ The investigation determined that an unauthorized individual gained access to the Department of Public Safety network between May 12, 2023, and September 27, 2023 ,” the university said
As previously reported, the breach affects 27,000 people. The personal information affected varies from person to person. In general, the following information is believed to have been exposed:
- Date of birth
- Social Security Number
- State ID
- Passport number
- Driving license number
- other information that the University's Department of Public Safety may have collected.
Also, for some individuals, more personal information may have been exposed , such as “ biometric data, health/medical information, email address with password, username with password, security questions and answers, digital signature, and credit card information with security codes .”
See also: Roku: Thousands of accounts and data breached
Stanford University has not provided details about the September ransomware attack, but the Akira claimed responsibility for the attack a month later, saying it stole 430GB of files from the university's systems.
In fact, personal information was exposed on the gang's data leak website.
The Stanford University ransomware attack and data breach highlights the need to take steps to prevent future attacks. Initially, collaborating with external cybersecurity experts can help significantly.
Then, it is necessary to implement stricter security policies and protocols, such as the use of multi-factor authentication, informing and training staff about fraud tactics and the protection of personal data, and creating backups.
See also: EquiLend Holdings: Employee data breach
Finally, Stanford University needs to strengthen its existing security, upgrading security software and monitoring systems, to better address future threats and prevent similar attacks.
🔒 Protect your privacy with Proton VPN
Swiss VPN from the creators of Proton Mail — strict no-logs policy, strong encryption, and built-in NetShield that blocks ads, trackers, & malware.
- ✔ No-logs, based in Switzerland (except 14-Eyes)
- ✔ NetShield: blocks ads, trackers & malicious domains
- ✔ Covers all devices — free version available
The link is an affiliate link — SecNews may receive a commission at no additional cost to you. It does not affect the independence of our article writing.
Source: www.bleepingcomputer.com
