Saint Louis University

Saint Louis University (SLU) in Missouri experienced a significant data breach that spanned from December 2022 through July 2023. This breach involved unauthorized access to university email accounts, leading to the potential exposure of a wide range of personal information. The compromised data includes names, dates of birth, Social Security numbers, driver’s license numbers, passport numbers, online credentials, digital signatures, health insurance information, and medical information[1][5].

The university became aware of suspicious activity involving school email addresses on March 2, 2023, and subsequent investigations with the assistance of a forensic investigation firm and an e-discovery firm confirmed the unauthorized access[5]. Despite the breach, SLU has stated that it is not aware of any instances of fraud or identity theft resulting from the incident as of their latest updates[1][5].

In response to the breach, SLU has taken steps to notify potentially affected individuals, providing them with information and resources to protect themselves against potential fraud. This includes recommendations to regularly monitor credit reports, personal accounts, and benefit statements. The university has also reviewed and is enhancing its technical safeguards to prevent future breaches[1][5].

For those seeking additional information or assistance, SLU has established a confidential, toll-free inquiry line. The university’s investigation into the breach is ongoing, and while specific details about the perpetrators have not been disclosed, SLU is actively working to address the situation and mitigate any potential impacts on those affected[1].

This incident is part of a broader trend of cyberattacks and data breaches affecting educational institutions, highlighting the importance of robust cybersecurity measures and vigilance in protecting sensitive information.

Citations:

1. https://www.ksdk.com/article/news/local/slu-data-breach-email-personal-information/63-85a07f3b-eb5e-4aa2-a1b2-311ce311d007
2. https://www.ky3.com/2023/06/17/university-missouri-investigating-after-russian-hacking-group-claims-cyberattack-system/
3. https://fox2now.com/news/missouri/saint-louis-university-confirms-months-long-data-breach/
4. https://www.firstalert4.com/2023/09/06/first-alert-4-investigates-after-millions-peoples-data-compromised-including-local-medicare-recipients/
5. https://www.stltoday.com/news/local/education/data-breach-hits-slu-students-and-employees-school-says/article_31bdc9c6-6ec2-11ee-b255-cb1cd7baadcc.html
6. https://www.komu.com/news/state/department-of-social-services-alerts-missourians-of-medicaid-data-breach/article_d5ca9ba2-36c3-11ee-adc7-53b09c44ea22.html
7. https://youtube.com/watch?v=DBEiEUGBjlI
8. https://www.databreaches.net/developing-hospital-sisters-health-system-and-prevea-health-hit-by-cyberattack/
9. https://www.turkestrauss.com/2023/10/24/saint-louis-university-data-breach-investigation/
10. https://www.ktlo.com/2023/06/17/cyberattack-investigated-in-university-of-missouri-system/
11. https://fox2now.com/video/saint-louis-university-confirms-months-long-data-breach/9102591/
12. https://www.firstalert4.com/2023/10/20/slu-student-employee-emails-accessed-data-breach/
13. https://www.gs-legal.com/blog/2023/10/st-louis-university-slu-data-breach-investigation/