Colorado Department of Higher Education Breach

The Colorado Department of Higher Education or CDHE manages public education legislation, programs, and initiatives all throughout the state. The organization holds a huge amount of data for students and adult students for this reason. That normally isn't an issue, but the CDHE recently suffered a serious data breach, making it a problem for everyone using the public education system in Colorado.

What Was the Breach?

• Government IDs
• Full Names
• Birth Dates
• Social Security Numbers
• Home Addresses
• Police Reports

How Did the Breach Occur?

We don't know the attack specifics, but the CDHE learned that its network was attacked by a ransomware gang. The gang demanded a ransom and locked down the organization's data using its attack.

When Did This Breach Occur?

The Colorado Department of Higher Education learned it was the victim of a ransomware attack on June 19, 2023. At that point, it began locking down its network, evaluating the damage from the attack, and reaching out to any students involved using notices sent via mail.

Who Does the Breach Impact?

This CDHE data breach impacts any students and adult students utilizing Colorado public schools or education programs from as early as 2004 until 2020. This includes public high schools, elementary schools, and some adult education programs, too.

How Many Files Does the Breach Affect?

We don't know the CDHE files that were impacted by this breach or how many files were involved. We only know that a large number of students and some adults were involved.