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June 10, 2008, 04:37 PM ET
Computer Theft at U. of South Carolina Exposes Personal Information of Thousands
The theft of a desktop computer at the University of South Carolina has compromised the personal information of about 7,000 students and 130 staff and faculty members. This is the third computer-security breach at the university in the past two years, reports The State, a newspaper in Columbia.
The computer and other items were stolen from an office in the Moore School of Business over the Memorial Day weekend, said Russ McKinney, a spokesman for the university. University officers warned the business school’s staff and faculty members within 48 hours that the stolen machine contained some of their personal information.
“Four or five days later, we realized there was also information in the computer from students who had taken business courses at the school—it took us a little while to realize that their Social Security numbers were among that information,” Mr. McKinney said. The university is notifying all the affected students.
He said the personal information was in the computer because it belonged to the deputy dean of the business school.
“It is the normal procedure, but perhaps the Social Security numbers should not have been there—we’re looking at it,” Mr. McKinney said. —Maria José Viñas
Categories: Security
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