Duke Mailing List Archive Contained Graduate Application Data
Quick Facts
- Date: 3/7/2008
- Institution: Duke University
- Type of Incident: Unauthorized Disclosure
- Number Affected: 221
- Source: Pogo Was Right
- Abstract Source: Triangle Business Journal
Abstract
Duke University recently discovered that graduate applicant data was available to public via an mailing list archive found online. The mailing list, accidentally left open to the public, contained the names, e-mail address and GPA scores of 221 applicants to the university's Physics program. According to the university, the information was available online for roughly three weeks. As soon as the university became aware of the problem the mailing list archive was secured and the university contacted major search engines to remove the information from caches. The university also sent letters to all affected applicants in which the head of the physics department expressed regret over the incident and said that multiple steps were being taken to ensure this does not happen in the future.
