Columbia University has confirmed a significant data breach affecting nearly 869,000 individuals, exposing sensitive personal information, including Social Security numbers and academic records.
Columbia University has recently disclosed a major cyberattack that has compromised the personal, financial, and health-related information of approximately 869,000 individuals, including current and former students, employees, and applicants. Notifications to those affected began on August 7 and are ongoing.
The breach was discovered following a network outage in June, which Columbia attributed to unauthorized access by an external party. Investigators are currently assessing the full extent of the data theft, which reportedly includes about 460 gigabytes of sensitive information.
According to a breach notification filed with the Maine Attorney General’s office, the compromised data encompasses admissions, enrollment, and financial aid records, as well as certain employee information. However, Columbia has confirmed that patient records from the Columbia University Irving Medical Center were not affected by this breach.
The university has taken steps to report the incident to law enforcement and is collaborating with cybersecurity experts to address the situation. In response to the breach, Columbia has implemented new safeguards and enhanced protocols to prevent similar incidents in the future.
As part of its response, Columbia began mailing letters to affected individuals, offering two years of complimentary credit monitoring, fraud consultation, and identity theft restoration services. While the university has stated that there is currently no evidence of misuse of the stolen data, the risk of identity theft and fraud remains a significant concern, as criminals often exploit stolen information months after a breach.
Individuals affected by the breach are encouraged to take proactive measures to safeguard their personal information. Regularly checking credit reports through AnnualCreditReport.com can help identify unauthorized accounts or changes. Additionally, using personal data removal services can assist in scrubbing information from data brokers and people search sites, making it more difficult for criminals to exploit exposed details.
While no service can guarantee complete removal of personal data from the internet, utilizing a data removal service can be a prudent choice. These services actively monitor and systematically erase personal information from various websites, reducing the risk of identity theft.
In addition to these measures, placing a fraud alert on credit reports can make it more challenging for identity thieves to open accounts in an individual’s name. A credit freeze offers even stronger protection by blocking new credit applications altogether.
Creating long, complex passwords for each account is another essential step in protecting personal information. A password manager can assist in generating and securely storing these passwords. Furthermore, individuals should check if their email addresses have been exposed in past breaches, as many password managers include breach scanners to alert users of potential vulnerabilities.
Turning on two-factor authentication (2FA) wherever possible adds an extra layer of security to accounts, helping to protect them even if a password is compromised. It is also crucial to be vigilant against potential scams that may arise in the wake of the breach, as criminals often exploit fear to target victims with fraudulent emails or texts.
To protect against malicious links that could install malware, individuals should ensure they have strong antivirus software installed on all devices. This software can help detect phishing emails and ransomware scams, safeguarding personal information and digital assets.
Beyond the free credit monitoring services offered by Columbia, additional paid services can help track personal data across the dark web and provide extra safeguards. Identity theft protection companies can monitor sensitive information, such as Social Security numbers and email addresses, alerting users if their information is being sold or used fraudulently.
The breach at Columbia University underscores the vulnerability of even trusted institutions to cyberattacks. As the investigation continues and notifications are expected to roll out through the fall, individuals are advised to remain vigilant and proactive in protecting their personal information.
As discussions around data security continue, questions arise regarding what further measures universities and large institutions should implement to safeguard the personal data of those who place their trust in them.
Source: Original article