UCF Data Breach: 63,000 Social Security Numbers Swiped

ORLANDO, FL — The University of Central Florida announced a data breach Thursday that involves the Social Security numbers of an estimated 63,000 current and former students and employees.

“UCF discovered the unauthorized access in January,” John Hitt, president, said in a statement. “University officials reported the incident to law enforcement and launched an internal investigation with the assistance of a national digital forensics firms.”

So far, the investigation has revealed that Social Security numbers were accessed, “but not credit card information, financial records, medical records, or grades.”

The university has yet to notify those who may have been impacted by the breach, but says letters will soon be going out by mail. The school plans to offer up to one free year of credit monitoring and identity-protection services to those impacted. The breach is believed to have involved data related to current students and faculty, and former employees and students from as far back as the 1980s, the Orlando Sentinel reported.

A website has also been set up so those concerned about the breach can gain information. A call center has also been established. The number to call is 877-752-5527. The center is open between 9 a.m. and 9 p.m., Monday through Friday.

As the breach remains under investigation, Hitt said UCF is taking measures to prevent future attacks.

“To ensure our vigilance, I have called for a thorough review of our online systems, policies and training to determine what improvements we can make in light of this recent incident.”

To find out more, visit UCF’s Data Security website.

Photo from the UCF Facebook page