Columbia University data breach hits 870,000 people

Columbia University recently confirmed A major cyber attack This harms personal, financial and health-related information related to students, applicants and employees. Victims include current and former students, employees and applicants. Notifications to affected individuals began on August 7 and are rolling.

Columbia, one of the oldest universities in the Ivy League, found violations after a network outage in June. According to Colombia, the destruction was caused by an unauthorized party accessing its system and stealing sensitive data. Investigators are still evaluating the full scope of theft.

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What information was stolen?

Nearly 869,000 people suffered from the Colombian breach, according to a violation notice filed with the Maine Attorney General’s office. This number includes students, employees, applicants, and in some cases family members. Media also reported that the threat actor claimed to have stolen about 460 GB of data from the Colombian system.

Colombia confirmed that the stolen information was related to admissions, enrollment rates and financial aid records, and certain employee data. Categories that expose information include:

• Name, date of birth and social security number
• Contact information and demographic information
• Academic History and Financial Aid Records
• Insurance details and certain health information

Columbia stressed that patient records from Columbia University Irving Medical Center were not affected. Nevertheless, the breadth of stolen data still poses serious risks of identity theft and fraud.

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Columbia University’s response

Colombia has reported the incident to law enforcement and is working with cybersecurity experts. The university said it New safeguards and enhance the protocol to prevent future events.

Starting August 7, Colombia began mailing letters to affected persons, providing two years of free credit surveillance, fraud consultation and identity theft repair services.

When it comes with the official community update released on June 24 and August 5, Colombia contacted its official community update.

While the university says so far there is no evidence that stolen data has been abused, the risk remains high. Criminals often wait for months to exploit the stolen data.

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Steps to protect yourself after a Columbia University breach

If you are an affected person or just want to protect your data, take these steps now:

1) Monitor your credit report

Check your credit report regularly via YearlCreditReport.com. Find your unopened account or unauthorized changes.

2) Use personal data deletion services

As confirmed stolen documents in Colombia may include name, address and demographic details, please consider using the Personal Data Deletion Service. These services help scrub your information from data brokers and people searching sites, making it harder for criminals to take advantage of exposed details. This step reduces the chances of stolen Columbia Records being associated with your wider online identity.

While there is no service that guarantees complete deletion of data from the Internet, a data deletion service is indeed a wise choice. They are not cheap, nor are your privacy. These services provide you with all your work by actively monitoring and systematically deleting your personal information from hundreds of websites. This is where I feel at ease and proves to be the most effective way to delete your personal data from the internet. By limiting the available information, you can reduce the risk of cross-references of data from fraudsters in violations and find information on the dark web, making it harder for them to target you.

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3) Set up fraud alerts and freezes

Putting fraud alerts makes it harder for identity thieves to open an account with your name. Credit freezes provide stronger protection by blocking new credit applications.

4) Use a powerful and unique password

Create long and complex passwords for each account. Password managers can help generate and store them securely.

Next, check if your email has been exposed in past violations. Our #1 Password Manager (see cyberguy.com/passwords) The draft includes a built-in vulnerability scanner that checks whether your email address or password appears in a known leak. If you find a match, change any reused passwords immediately and protect these accounts with new, unique credentials.

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5) Enable two-factor authentication

Turn on two-factor authentication (2FA) As much as possible. Even if your password is stolen, this extra layer of security can help protect your account.

6) Watch phishing and use powerful antivirus software

The scammer may attempt to violate the violation with fake emails or text. Verify any messages before clicking on a link or sharing personal information.

The best way to protect yourself from installing malware (malicious links that may access private information) is to install powerful antivirus software on all devices. This protection can also remind you about phishing email and ransomware scams, ensuring your personal information and digital assets are secure.

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7) Consider identity theft protection services

In addition to free credit monitoring of Colombia quotes, additional paid services can help you track your data on the dark web and provide additional safeguards.

Identity theft companies can monitor your personal information, such as your Social Security Number (SSN), phone number and email address, and remind you whether it is sold on the dark network or used to open an account. They can also help you freeze your bank and credit card accounts to prevent further unauthorized use by criminals.

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Kurt’s key points

Columbia University’s violations show that even trustworthy institutions are vulnerable to cyber attacks. As the investigation is underway and the notification will continue into the fall, individuals should remain highly alert. With so much personal, financial and health information exposed, it is crucial to stay alert long after the headlines fade out.

What other universities and large institutions need to be done to protect the personal data of those who trust them? By writing to us, let us know cyberguy.com/contact

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