New Jersey City University suffers cyberattack putting students’ information at risk
Information at risk includes students’ Social Security numbers, driver’s license numbers, financial account numbers and credit card numbers.
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New Jersey City University officials say that the school was targeted by hackers. This incident has put about 6,000 people affiliated with the school at risk for identity theft.
The campus-wide computer system is now back up and running as normal. However, it all came crashing down when the school was targeted between June 4 and June 10. Administrators say files may have been copied from the network.
Along with student and staff names, those files included, Social Security numbers, driver’s license numbers, financial account numbers and credit card numbers.
School officials wrote in a statement, “We will be sending notices with additional information to potentially affected individuals by email.”
Scott Schober is a cyber security expert with Berkley Varitronics Systems. He spoke about the ransom that was demanded, which he suggests should never be paid.
“Here they’re asking about $700,000. That’s a lot of money for a university that’s already a little bit cash-strapped,” Schober says.
Schober says that over the last year, there’s been a 35% increase in universities being hacked.
“If I have a student’s information, their Social Security number, also their payment information - maybe it’s their bank account for paying tuition - their date of birth, all of these pieces, that makes it more valuable to sell for identity theft,” he says.
School officials are helping students who may be victims of identity theft. Students can call the university for assistance. The university is also offering free identity monitoring.
In recent years, NJCU has had serious financial issues. The school is under the watchful eye of state officials as administrators need to reduce millions of dollars in debt.
