Educational Security Incidents (ESI)

Quick Facts

• Date: 9/2/2008
• Institution: Ivy Tech Community College
• Type of Incident: Unauthorized Disclosure
• Number Affected: 23,000
• Source: ESI
• Abstract Source: Ivy Tech Security Notice
• Update1 Source: Indy Channel

Abstract
An astute reader wrote ESI to make us aware of a recent incident at Ivy Tech Community College. According to the Ivy Tech Security Notice, a "clerical error" when sharing a file containing student information caused the file to be shared with all Ivy Tech Indianapolis region employees. The file contained names, addresses and Social Security numbers of all students enrolled in spring 2008 distance education courses. The internal investigation reviled the between July 28 and July 31, 102 Ivy Tech employees accessed the file in question. In an alert to students, Ivy Tech recommends that the students place fraud alerts on their credit files as a precaution. Ivy Tech has created a web site - www.ivytech.edu/about/security/faq-0708.html - to help answer questions about the incident.

Corrected number of Ivy Tech employees accessing the file from 108 to 102. - Adam

Update1
According to a letter from Ivy Tech Indianapolis Vice President of Administration William Morris an employee accidentally sent a file containing the 23,000 student records to a mailing list of 1,400 people.

Quick Facts

• Date: 2/14/2008
• Institution: Ivy Tech Community College
• Type of Incident: Unauthorized Disclosure
• Number Affected: 504
• Source: ESI
• Abstract Source: Ivy Tech Security Notice

Abstract
Ivy Tech Community College recently alerted students that their personal information may have been compromised. It seems that the firm used to print and mail students 1098T forms improperly disposed of 504 forms. 1098T forms are used to report tuition costs to the federal government and contain information such as name, Social Security number, address, and tuition costs. Ivy Tech has used this firm for many years and this improper disposal is against the firms internal security policy. An unknown party was able to collect 459 of these forms and turned them over to the local sheriffs department, which then returned them to Ivy Tech. An investigation into this matter by Ivy Tech and the private firm concluded that no more the 504 out of more then 65,000 forms were affected. Ivy Tech has setup a web site - www.ivytech.edu/about/security/1098T-faq.html - and a hotline - 317-921-4423 - to help answer questions students may have.