Educational Security Incidents (ESI)

Quick Facts

• Date: 7/25/08
• Institution: Georgia Highlands College
• Type of Incident: Penetration
• Number Affected: Unknown
• Source: ESI
• Abstract Source: The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Abstract
Police arrested a Georgia Highlands College student, Christopher Fowler, on Thursday and charged Fowler with computer trespassing and unlawful eavesdropping. According to college officials more charges could be brought against Fowler. Fowler allegedly hacked into Georgia Highlands College computer system to alter his grades and steal passwords for other accounts. The Georgia Bureau of Investigations was called into help the investigation after the Kennesaw State University Police suspected Fowler gained unauthorized access to the Highland College systems.

Quick Facts

• Date: 7/23/08
• Institution: University of Houston
• Type of Incident: Unauthorized Disclosure
• Number Affected: 259
• Source: SSNBreach.org
• Abstract Source: SSNBreach.org Media Release

Abstract
The Liberty Coalition recently announced that it had discovered personal student information on a University of Houston Mathematics Professor's web site in late May 2008. The files, belonging to Marjorie Marks, contained the names, Social Security numbers and grades of 259 students enrolled in the Fall 2005 Math 1310 course. While the university responded quickly to remove the files, search engine caches were not cleared until July 2008.

Quick Facts

Quick Facts

• Date: 7/15/2008
• Institution: Indiana State University
• Type of Incident: Theft
• Number Exposed: 2,500
• Source: ESI
• Abstract Source: The Tribune-Star
• Update1 Source: WLFI

Abstract
Indiana State University is working to alert more then 2,500 current and former students about the theft of a laptop containing student information. The laptop, stolen from an economics professor while traveling in southern Indiana, contained students names, grades, e-mail addresses, student ID numbers (after 2003) and Social Security numbers (up to 2003) for students that had taken economics classes between 1997 and spring semester 2008. According to the university, there is no evidence of any identity theft but the university urges affected students to place fraud alerts on their credit reports.

Update1
Indiana State University officials announced that the stolen laptop has been returned to the professor six days after it was stolen. The laptop was mailed back to the university by an anonymous individual along with several other personal items that were taken. According to ISU spokesman Dave Taylor, the password-protected computer showed that none of its data had been accessed. However, the university is still notifying students as a precaution.

Quick Facts

• Date: 7/15/2008
• Institution: California State University, Chico
• Type of Incident: Unauthorized Disclosure
• Number Affected: 30
• Source: SSNBreach.org
• Abstract Source: SSNBreach.org Media Release

Abstract
In May, the Liberty Coalition notified California State University, Chico that it discovered an excel file online that contained student information. The file, placed online in 2003 by a Computer Science professor, contained the names, partial Social Security numbers, test scores and lab scores of 30 students. The information appears to be on former students of Jim McElroy. The university quickly removed the file once notified and the file is no longer available through search engine caches.