Loophole Left Student Records Exposed to Unauthorized Users at Texas Woman’s U.

Texas Woman’s University was forced on Saturday to shut down a student-records system after a student discovered a loophole that allowed him to view the grades and adviser reports of any student at the university, a local newspaper reported.

The Degree Audit Report System, a portal for students curious about their academic progress, was supposed to be restricted to 803 authorized users. But after a junior at the university found he had access to the files, university officials discovered that more than 12,000 people could get into the system.

The system was reportedly shut down and secured after the discovery was made. Officials said the nature of the exposed information, while personal, did not leave the students vulnerable to identity theft or grade manipulation. –Steve Kolowich