Massive data breach at Dartmouth College exposes Social Security numbers, financial info of 40,000+
Hack tied to Oracle software attack impacts thousands in New Hampshire and Vermont.
Dartmouth College has confirmed that a cybersecurity breach compromised the personal data of over 40,000 individuals, including nearly 32,000 in New Hampshire and more than 12,000 in Vermont, after hackers exploited a vulnerability in a widely used software system.
The attack, which occurred over a three-day span in early August, targeted the Oracle eBusiness Suite, software used by Dartmouth and other institutions to manage operations.
A known ransomware group has claimed responsibility for the breach according to Valley News, which has reportedly affected over 100 organizations.
According to filings with state attorneys general, the compromised data includes names, Social Security numbers, and financial account details.
Dartmouth began notifying victims by mail last week and is offering a year of free identity protection through Experian.
Dartmouth says the breach was not caused by phishing or internal user error. After Oracle disclosed the issue in October, the college launched an investigation and confirmed on Oct. 30 that sensitive data had been accessed. Officials said time was needed to review affected files and identify impacted individuals.
In response, Dartmouth has implemented all available security patches and set up a hotline for those affected.
