Hackers Steal ID Info From Virginia University

Abstract

George Mason University has become the latest institution of higher education to be the victim of hackers' accessing personal information of faculty and students. University officials said that hackers gained access to information including names, photos, Social Security numbers, and campus ID numbers for "all members of the Mason community who have identification cards." An e-mail sent by the university's vice president for information technology indicated that the intruders appeared to be seeking "access to other campus systems rather than specific data," but the message warned that the information the hackers obtained could be used for identity theft. George Mason had ended its practice of putting Social Security numbers on ID cards, replacing them with university-generated numbers, in response to a Virginia state law that required such a change. The university maintains a database, however, that includes Social Security numbers. University officials discovered the intrusion on January 3 and said the hackers gained access to records of more than 30,000 faculty, staff, and students.