Colorado’s Department of Higher Education (CDHE) has recently disclosed a data breach that occurred over a 16-year period, starting from an incident in June where unidentified “unauthorized actor(s)” launched a ransomware attack. The breach compromised personally identifiable information, including names and social security numbers of students. As the investigation into the extent of the damage continues, CDHE plans to notify potentially affected individuals through mail or email once the review of impacted records is completed.
CDHE has taken measures to assist impacted groups by offering free access to Experian credit monitoring and identity theft protection. The department advises affected students to remain vigilant by monitoring their account statements and credit reports for any suspicious activities.
Unfortunately, educational institutions have become popular targets for ransomware attacks. In 2022, there were reports of ransomware attacks on 44 colleges and 45 school districts, compared to 88 total education departments in 2021, as per data from Emsisoft. To improve cybersecurity efforts across the country, the Government Accountability Office recommended that the Department of Education and the Department of Homeland Security work together to assess school cybersecurity measures.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about data breach
What happened in June that affected the Colorado Department of Higher Education?
In June, the Colorado Department of Higher Education (CDHE) experienced a ransomware attack by unidentified “unauthorized actor(s)” who gained access to their systems.
What information was compromised in the data breach?
The data breach resulted in the compromise of personally identifiable information, including names and social security numbers of students.
How long did the data breach span?
The data breach affected the CDHE’s systems for a lengthy period of 16 years.
How will impacted individuals be notified about the breach?
CDHE plans to notify potentially affected individuals via mail or email once they complete the review of impacted records.
What measures are being taken to protect affected students’ data?
In response to the breach, CDHE is offering free access to Experian credit monitoring and identity theft protection services to safeguard affected individuals’ data.
Why are education systems frequently targeted by ransomware attacks?
Educational institutions have become popular targets for ransomware attacks due to their sensitive data and potential vulnerabilities.
How many ransomware attacks were reported in the education sector?
In 2022, there were reports of ransomware attacks on 44 colleges and 45 school districts, compared to 88 total education departments in 2021, based on data from Emsisoft.
What is the Government Accountability Office’s recommendation regarding school cybersecurity?
The Government Accountability Office suggests that the Department of Education and the Department of Homeland Security should collaborate to assess and improve school cybersecurity efforts across the country.
More about data breach
- “Colorado education department discloses data breach spanning 16 years” (Source: BleepingComputer)
- “CDHE Notice of Data Incident” (Source: Colorado Department of Higher Education)
- “Emsisoft’s data on ransomware attacks in education” (Source: Emsisoft)
- “Government Accountability Office recommendations on school cybersecurity” (Source: Government Accountability Office)
