Virginia Tech Exposes 12 Social Security Numbers Online
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: November 9, 2007Media Contact: Aaron Titus
(202) 681-1686
BLACKSBURG, Virginia. On September 6, 2007, the Liberty Coalition discovered several files on a Virgina Tech server which appeared to contain potentially sensitive information for about 100 people, including 12 social security numbers. The files ranged from grading spreadsheets used by professors to team rosters, to the results of a survey about cell phone usage. Virginia Tech removed the most sensitive files within a month (ie, the files containing social security numbers), but left others online.
Individuals affected by this exposure should immediately visit www.nationalidwatch.org and search for their names, to confirm what types of personal information were exposed. NationalIDWatch.org has a list of recommended steps victims should take.
About NationalIDWatch.org
National ID Watch is a search engine for personal information breaches. Sponsored by the Washington, DC non-profit Liberty Coalition, NationalIDWatch.org provides more than a million free personalized Identity Exposure Reports™ as a public service.
Each Identity Exposure Report (IXR) documents what types of personal information were exposed (such as Social Security Numbers, Birth Dates, Addresses, etc.), without revealing them. Each IXR also details the situation surrounding each exposure, and contact information of those responsible for the breach. Armed with this information, victims can further investigate, take action, or correct harm.