UCLA Hit By Recent Data Breach: Students and Faculty are At Risk
Table of Contents
- By Steven
- Published: Jul 03, 2023
- Last Updated: Jul 03, 2023
The University of California, or UCLA, is a public university in Los Angeles, California. The school serves approximately 32,000 students each term and is well-known as a leading public University in the United States. The school was the target of a recent cyber attack linked back to the C10P ransomware gang that likely exposed students and staff members to significant data loss. There isn't specific information about what data was stolen during this attack, but UCLA students and faculty should both be concerned about the incident.
How Did the Attack Occur?
This cyber attack was possible because the C10P ransomware gang discovered a new vulnerability in the MOVEit file transfer tool. This vulnerability enabled the hackers to install malware on user devices, enabling them to gain access to the user file systems. Through the clever use of malware, the hackers were able to steal huge amounts of data from the file transfer databases maintained by many different companies and organizations, including UCLA.
What Information Was Viewed or Stolen?
We don't have any specifics about what information was taken in this cyber attack just yet. We only have data about other MOVEit file attacks, suggesting that a substantial amount of information was taken from the school. If personal data was lost in this attack, personalized notices would have to be sent out to the individuals involved, and an official statement will likely come out as well.
How Did UCLA Admit to the Breach?
No formal announcement from UCLA was ever put out about this breach, but the company has talked with news stations about the issue and reached out to the Federal Bureau of Investigation. There is enough information about the breach to make it clear that it occurred, but no notices are being sent out yet, and the information taken in the breach hasn't yet been confirmed. There is no official way to see exactly what was accessed in this breach yet, but if personal information was compromised, the university would have to put out more details.
What Will Become of the Stolen Information?
Without knowing what data was taken in the UCLA file breach, we cannot speculate about what it will be used for. It's likely the information will be used for identity theft, phishing attacks, and financial-based attacks if any of those are possible. The hackers may also try to resell the information taken, and it's likely they will request a ransom from the university in an attempt to profit from the attack.
What Should Affected Parties Do in the Aftermath of the Breach?
If you believe your data was compromised in this latest breach, you should take measures to prepare for an attack and protect yourself. Consider investing in credit-monitoring services to watch your credit and look for strange changes to your credit report. Prepare to react to any strange changes by freezing your credit and reporting any fraudulent accounts to the connected organizations. If you watch your accounts and credit and react when you notice changes, you can mitigate much of the damage.
