SSU Warned 25,000 Students and Staff Members of Data Security Breach

According to University Officials, Salem State University (Boston, Massachusetts, US) has warned around 25,000 former and current students and staff members of a security breach of the University's database that was recently noticed, reported softpedia.com on March 18, 2013.

Even though the school is not vigilant that anyone's information was employed maliciously, the administration resolved that it was paramount to notify all possible parties that are concerned, said Tom Torello, Vice President of Marketing and Communications at Salem State, in a statement printed by boston.com on March 15, 2013. "We just wanted to be alert and inform them that the chance is out there that their information could have been infected," Torello said.

The virus software of the school was competent to spot the February 19, 2013 breach as it happened, Torello said. Once found, the school brought in forensic specialist to deal with the breach, Torello said.

In another statement printed by salemnews.com on March 16, 2013, Torello alleged that to the best of his knowledge, the database contains only present and former staff and student workers.

With the inquiry, a letter that was sent on March 11, 2013 to all infected people with details in the affected Salem State human resources department computer database from the address of the President of the University was found. According to Torello, if you haven't been contacted, then your information is not in danger.

The University has made a call center to field questions from those affected.

Computer virus detection software alerted the college to the problem, he said.

According to Torello, it is unfortunately a very common incidence now. There are excellent systems in place and hopefully, it was identified prior to the infection of any information, but it is better not to take chances. He said, "This is the world we stay."

Torello refused to say what kind of details were on the server, except that he claimed it to be personal identification information.

Conclusively, Salem State University is not the only US University whose database has been infected by malware. In December 2012, a server hosted at Pennsylvania State's University Park campus that incorporates 1,406 Social Security numbers, all of which belongs to the students who were enrolled at Penn State Altoona prior to 2005, was found to be contaminated with the malware and hence compromised.

Related article: SEC Takes Action On Online Brokerage Theft

» SPAMfighter News - 3/26/2013