UCLA sent out an alert today announcing that its students, staff, and faculty database has been hacked. Fortunately they had time to set up a website.
A sophisticated computer hacker has illegally and fraudulently accessed a restricted UCLA database containing names and certain personal information. This database includes UCLA’s current and some former students, faculty and staff, some student applicants and some parents of students or applicants who applied for financial aid. The database also includes current or former staff and faculty of the University of California, Merced, and current or former employees of the University of California Office of the President, for which UCLA does administrative processing.UCLA is notifying all of those individuals in the database, even though a continuing investigation indicates that the computer trespasser sought and obtained only some of the information. There is no evidence to suggest that personal information has been misused.
UCLA greatly regrets the concern and inconvenience caused by this illegal activity.
This is exactly why I decided not to fill in all my alumni information after I graduated. No one uses those databases in a way that benefits me, and now lots of people could get screwed.
Did yours have a line like:
"I regret having to inform you that your name is in the database. While we are uncertain whether your personal information was actually obtained, we know that the hacker sought and retrieved some Social Security numbers."
?
MW: This is exactly why I decided not to fill in all my alumni information after I graduated. No one uses those databases in a way that benefits me, and now lots of people could get screwed.
I wouldn't be concerned about hackers getting your name and address..anyone can obtain that from a commercial list vendor. Its the SSNs, financial info, etc. that you should be concerned about. AFAIK, the California legislation regarding notifying people when databases have been compromised only requires notification if sensitive personal information is breached (i.e. SSNs, credit card numbers, etc.)
adamj: Yes.
Manish: They ask for a lot of info that I'd rather have private, but not bank info, true.