Earlier today as many as 45,000 current and former Cornellians got emails from the Cornell IT department notifying them that their Social Security Numbers had been stolen during a computer theft earlier in June. The Review is currently doing its own investigation into the matter, but in the meantime check out both the Sun article as well as the university-provided link about the incident. According to the link provided by Cornell, the University does admit that the storage of this personal information on an insecure laptop was in violation of University policy. Check back tomorrow for more updates on this developing story.
[UPDATE]
The most important elements of the widespread email alert to students are below:
Last week, we learned that a Cornell-owned computer that was stolen earlier this month contained your name and Social Security Number. Please accept our most sincere apologies for this unfortunate event.
…
This incident underscores the need for ever more vigilant security processes. Cornell University is committed to maintaining the privacy of individuals’ personal information and takes many precautions to ensure its security. In response to incidents of theft like this one, and the increasing number of Internet-enabled computer attacks, the University is continually improving its systems and practices.
More info available over at http://www.wvbr.com/news/660
My information is stolen. I’m hacked off. Do you want me to give y’all the bs email Cornell sent me?
This happened to Stanford last year. (And Los Alamos like 10 years ago . . .) In our case, a laptop was stolen but the thief, supposedly, didn’t know that social security information was on the computer. Nothing has come of it since, apparently. Why store all the info in one place?
I think the situation will be just as you described, Paul. If this was some stupid kid or drug addict stealing the laptop, then I highly doubt SSNs will even be looked for, and nothing will happen. If the thief already had this knowledge, there may be some trouble. Personally, though, I’m a proponent of my first theory. I don’t think anything is going to happen.
I think the situation will be just as you described, Paul. If this was some stupid kid or drug addict stealing the laptop, then I highly doubt SSNs will even be looked for, and nothing will happen. If the thief already had this knowledge, there may be some trouble. Personally, though, I’m a proponent of my first theory. I don’t think anything is going to happen.
@Joe Bonica – so if someone steals your wallet, you’re not going to worry about changing your credit cards since they were “probably just some drug-addict after your cash”? If your bank lost your info would you feel the same way?
I recommend asking Cornell to provide 12-18 months of credit-protection services at a minimum. They can afford it. I would also demand that they demonstrate the measures they will be taking to prevent this from happening in the future (laptop encryption, disciplinary action against the employee who violated the policy, and so-on…).
@ Krycheq: Personally, no, I would not be worried, because I don’t have any credit cards and I keep my debit card and license at home when I dont use them, so all they would have is my money. Still, I filed a fraud alert for this recent case just in the event, even though im sure nothing is likely to happen.
@ Krycheq: Personally, no, I would not be worried, because I don’t have any credit cards and I keep my debit card and license at home when I dont use them, so all they would have is my money. Still, I filed a fraud alert for this recent case just in the event, even though im sure nothing is likely to happen.
at least identity theft isn’t as bad as Cornell’s last crime wave, which included the infamous foot-grabber:
The Cornell University Police department is investigating an attempted
burglary at Maplewood Park Apartments that occurred at 4:37 a.m. this
morning, Oct. 22, 2007. The victim reported being disturbed from her
sleep in her bedroom by someone in contact with her foot . When she
awoke, she saw a person crawling through her window next to her bed,
halfway into her room. She described the intruder as a male of
undetermined race with a short haircut. The intruder left immediately
after the victim confronted him verbally.
I forgot to mention the biting bat that wrecked havoc on our campus this year was also probably worse than identity theft:
The Tompkins County Health Department is seeking a man who was bitten by a rabid bat on Sunday, Aug. 24. The incident occurred in downtown Ithaca, in a small park on West Marshall Street, across North Cayuga Street from Northside Kinney Pharmacy. The victim was bitten when he picked up the bat. The bat was captured by the health department and after testing by the NYS Rabies Laboratory, was found to be rabid.
The bat is currently serving a nine-year sentence in a maximum-security Federal cave.