TWU Degree Auditing System Error Exposes Student Course, Grades
Quick Fact
- Date: 4/25/2009
- Institution: Texas Woman's University
- Type of Incident: Unauthorized Disclosure
- Number Affected: 12,000
- Source: ESI
- Abstract Source: Dallas News
Abstract
Texas Woman's University corrected an error in the university's degree auditing program earlier in the week. The error allowed anyone accessing the system to view the names, courses and grades of the 12,000 students enrolled at the university. The error was discovered by a TWU junior and reported to the university. According to Robert Placido, Associate Vice President of Information Technology Services, the error allowed students to access the advisor section of the Degree Audit Report System. However, this access did not allow any changes to the information. TWU staff took the system off line within four hours and the system was fixed and put back online within a day. According to Placido, out of the 36 individuals logged into the system when the error was reported, eight were unauthorized users.
