Former ECU Professor Posts Student Information On Personal Web Site
Quick Facts
- Date: 2/8/2008
- Institution: East Carolina University
- Type of Incident: Unauthorized Disclosure
- Number Affected: 736
- Source: SSNBreach.org, Pogo Was Right
- Abstract Source: SSNBreach.org Press Release
- Update Source: WITN
Abstract
SSNBreach.org and the Liberty Coalition announced today that former East Carolina University professor Ken Butler's personal web site (www.ropehouse.com) contained over 60 files containing the personal information on 736 ECU students. The information contained in the files included names, 412 Social Security numbers, student grades and e-mail addresses. The information was backed up to this site by Butler in March 2005 and was not removed until January 2008 after the Liberty Coalition informed him the files were accessible through Google searches. According to SSNBreach.org, Butler was aware that the files would be available to anyone online, but did not believe the files would get indexed by major search engines. It is not known at this time if ECU is aware of the breach.
Update
SSNBreach.org and the Liberty Coalition also notified East Carolina University about this incident. According to John Durham, an ECU spokesperson, ECU is investigating the incidents and expects to begin notifying affected individual by the end of next week.
