Tuesday, June 19, 2007
Computer Breach Exposes Students' Social Security Numbers
Computer Breach Exposes Students' Social Security Numbers
Monday, June 18, 5:44 p.m.
By Andy Hirsch
The News-Item confirms one of its employees gained unauthorized access to the Shamokin Area School District's computer database. It is the same system that stores student's personal information, including social security numbers. That newspaper employee brought the security flaw to the attention of school officials.
"Oh my god, people's identities are shot," Sol Bidding said, describing his first reaction when he learned of the breach. It leaves open the idea that anyone could have hacked their way into the system.
Superintendent James Zack sent a letter home to parents stating "Your son/daughter/student's Standardized Assessment scores, local assessment scores and Social Security numbers were contained in the system. We are writing to you so that you can take steps to protect yourself from the possibility of identity theft."
"It kind of scares me because these are kids. This may cost them the rest of their life to get out of what damage may be done, or could be done," Bidding added.
Lisa Tillett has four children in the district. She's also a second grade substitute teacher there. She said she'll keep a eye out for fraudulent activity.
"It's a little strange. You don't expect that to happen to you, that somebody would do that and use your social security number and possibly steal something," Tillett said.
Some students are also concerned about just who had access to their personal information.
"I'm worried about it," Kayla Barkow, who will be in tenth grade next year, said. "But I'm not going to let it get to me until I find out if anything happens to it."
Investigators said it was too early to know if any information was actually stolen. School officials pointed out there is no evidence that it was. They also said they've strengthened the security to the system to make sure something like this doesn't happen again.
"Please know something is being done right now to protect this end of it," Bidding said.
Late this afternoon the publisher of The News-Item released a written statement regarding the breach that read "we acknowledge that an employee of The News-Item is involved in this matter. The person identified and alerted school officials to a security flaw involving the district's web site. The person is cooperating and assisting police with their investigation."
Monday, June 18, 5:44 p.m.
By Andy Hirsch
The News-Item confirms one of its employees gained unauthorized access to the Shamokin Area School District's computer database. It is the same system that stores student's personal information, including social security numbers. That newspaper employee brought the security flaw to the attention of school officials.
"Oh my god, people's identities are shot," Sol Bidding said, describing his first reaction when he learned of the breach. It leaves open the idea that anyone could have hacked their way into the system.
Superintendent James Zack sent a letter home to parents stating "Your son/daughter/student's Standardized Assessment scores, local assessment scores and Social Security numbers were contained in the system. We are writing to you so that you can take steps to protect yourself from the possibility of identity theft."
"It kind of scares me because these are kids. This may cost them the rest of their life to get out of what damage may be done, or could be done," Bidding added.
Lisa Tillett has four children in the district. She's also a second grade substitute teacher there. She said she'll keep a eye out for fraudulent activity.
"It's a little strange. You don't expect that to happen to you, that somebody would do that and use your social security number and possibly steal something," Tillett said.
Some students are also concerned about just who had access to their personal information.
"I'm worried about it," Kayla Barkow, who will be in tenth grade next year, said. "But I'm not going to let it get to me until I find out if anything happens to it."
Investigators said it was too early to know if any information was actually stolen. School officials pointed out there is no evidence that it was. They also said they've strengthened the security to the system to make sure something like this doesn't happen again.
"Please know something is being done right now to protect this end of it," Bidding said.
Late this afternoon the publisher of The News-Item released a written statement regarding the breach that read "we acknowledge that an employee of The News-Item is involved in this matter. The person identified and alerted school officials to a security flaw involving the district's web site. The person is cooperating and assisting police with their investigation."
Labels: Shamokin Area School District
