Educational Security Incidents (ESI)

Quick Facts

• Date: 10/29/2008
• Institution: University of Manchester
• Type of Incident: Theft
• Number Affected: Unknown
• Source: ESI
• Abstract Source: Student Direct

Abstract
An unknown number of thieves appear to have broken into the Humanities building of the University of Manchester on October 20th. According to the university, the thieves gained entrance through a ground floor fire door and worked their way through the building causing a large amount of damage to offices on the ground, third and fourth floors. A large number of desktop and laptop computers were also discovered missing from third floor offices. The university has notified students in the School of Education about the theft.

Quick Facts

Quick Facts

• Date: 10/14/2008
• Institution: Ryerson University
• Type of Incident: Unauthorized Disclosure
• Number Affected: Unknown
• Source: ESI
• Abstract Source: The Eyeopener Online

Abstract
Ryerson University is currently investigating how boxes containing sensitive documents could have been left unsecured in empty offices. The boxes, located in Kerr Hall South, contained payroll stubs, student numbers, grades, exams, staff tenure reports, and resumes. The boxes themselves contained labels such as "shred" and "confidential". The offices where the boxes were found were last used by the industrial engineering department in late 2007. According to Heather Driscoll, the university's FIPPA coordinator, it doesn't matter if the university can tell definitively whether or not anyone read the documents. For Driscoll the problem is that the documents were left unsecured in the first place.

Quick Facts

• Date: 10/14/2008
• Institution: Olympic College
• Type of Incident: Unauthorized Disclosure
• Number Affected: Unknown
• Source: Pogo Was Right
• Abstract Source: The Olympian of Olympic College

Abstract
Olympic College officials are currently investigating how at least four web sites leaked student information to the Web. The college found out about the incident after a student searched for her name in Google and found a class roster for a computer class the student took in 2007. Initially the blame for the leak was placed on the professors responsible for the web sites. However, according to one professor, these web sites were supposed to be part of an Intranet only accessible to Olympic College individuals. However, Jack Hanson admitted that the half hour training session faculty received on might not have been adequate. According to Hanson "I allowed a design that was too complex and permissions were set wrong and that was the problem".

Quick Facts

• Date: 10/12/2008
• Institution: Southwest Mississippi Community College
• Type of Incident: Unauthorized Disclosure
• Number Affected: 7,000+ (updated)
• Source: Pogo Was Right
• Abstract Source: The Clarion-Ledger, WXVT
• Update1 Source: Sun Herald

Abstract
Southwest Mississippi Community College recently discovered that personal student information was available online. The information, which contained names, addresses and Social Security numbers for at least 1,000 students, was removed as soon as the college became aware of its presence. According to the Mississippi Attorney Generals office, Southwest Mississippi CC will begin notifying students shortly.

Update1
According to Southwest Mississippi CC officials, the names, Social Security numbers, addresses, genders, races and grade point averages of more then 7,000 individuals were leaked to the Internet. SMCC has hired an outside firm to help the college investigate the incident and notify those affected.