Butler University has become the latest school to disclose that their computers had been hacked and personal information including Social Security numbers of 163,000  students, faculty, staff, former students and even people who merely applied to the school was compromised. This is just the latest instance of a college or university being hacked.  It also is another breach in which the university still maintained personal information in its data banks on former students, and in this case, mere applicants although the university had absolutely no reason to maintain Social Security numbers for such people.  As I have told you many times previously, you are only as safe as the places with the weakest security that hold your personal information.

TIPS

If you have ever had any contact with Butler University I urge you to contact the school and not wait to be notified in order to learn if you were affected by this latest data breach.  The University’s assistance line is available Mondays through Fridays between 9:00 a.m. and 7:00 p.m.  The telephone number is 888-414-8021 and you should use the reference number 8867061014.   I also urge you to put a credit freeze on your credit report so that even if someone has access to your Social Security number, they will not be able to access credit in your name.  With so many places with weak security  holding personal information including Social Security numbers on all of us, I urge everyone to consider putting a credit freeze on your credit report.  You can find directions how to do it by going to the Scamicide archives.