Fergie's Tech Blog

Hackers hit Sonoma State computer systems

Stacy Finz writes on SFGate.com:

Hackers have broken into Sonoma State University's computer system, where they had access to the names and Social Security numbers of 61,709 people who either attended, applied, graduated or worked at the school from 1995 to 2002, university officials disclosed Monday.

So far, there have been no reports of identify theft that can be linked to the break-in, which happened in July.

It was initially believed by the university's technical staff to be a virus, but it turned out to be the latest in what has become a nationwide security problem on college campuses.

Jean Wasp, a spokeswoman for Sonoma State, said campus administrators don't believe the exposed data was stolen. Nonetheless, they are using e-mails to notify as many people as they can locate addresses for -- nearly 6,000 so far -- about the security breach. She said the university was hoping that the remaining 61,709 would learn of the break-in from news reports. The campus, located in Rohnert Park, is required by law to publicize the fact that the files were compromised.

"We don't think (the hackers) took anything," Wasp said. "We don't really know what they were doing. They could have been using our system just to attack another system."

posted by Fergie @ 8/09/2005 09:17:00 AM