Over 10,000 Students Hit By Hawaii Maui College Data Breach
Table of Contents
- By Steven
- Published: Apr 11, 2023
- Last Updated: Apr 11, 2023
The University of Hawaii Maui College is one of ten branches of the Hawaii public university college system. The school is located in Maui and serves more than 2,500 students annually. This public university is one of many that recently suffered from a data breach exposing students to possible identity theft risks.
How Did the Attack Occur?
According to the staff at the University of Hawaii Maui College, a breach was identified in the middle of February 2023. At that time, a disturbance in the network was noted, and some systems stopped functioning properly. That's when the school began working to secure its network and when it hired outside data specialists to begin researching a potential breach. Between then and April, the breach was analyzed, and any possible data losses were documented. A list of more than 10,500 students was drawn up, too, marking them all as potential victims of this breach.
What Information Was Viewed or Stolen?
The University of Hawaii Maui College wasn't willing to disclose the specific information that was exposed during the data breach in February in the public statement it released. Instead, the school only states that the personal information of students was disclosed and that it could be a real problem for anyone with information involved in this breach. Approximately 10,500 students were exposed by the data breach, and the university began sending out notices to students, informing them of what information they may have lost due to this breach.
How Did Business Admit to the Breach?
The university released a public statement about the data breach in March. The statement explains that the school file network was breached in February and that a large number of students were exposed by the attack. It does not specify what information was involved but does say that some personal details were released. We believe it's likely that Social Security numbers or driver's license numbers were involved for at least some students because the school was required to send out notices by law.
What Will Become of the Stolen Information?
Without knowing exactly what information was released in the University of Hawaii Maui data breach, we can't say what issues will result from the breach. We expect students to struggle with data fraud and identity theft issues because of the data breach. We can't prove these things will be a problem, but they seem likely given the sensitive nature of the data exposed. Students should also look out for phishing attacks in their email or text messages and avoid providing sensitive information via text or email to anyone.
What Should Affected Parties Do in the Aftermath of the Breach?
If you are notified by the University of Hawaii Maui about the breach, you should immediately start monitoring your credit and financial accounts. Consider investing in a credit monitoring solution, or you can put a freeze on your credit to stop any fraudulent accounts from being opened. Taking just a few of these steps will go a long way toward keeping your credit and your bank accounts safe.
