Data Security Notice to Students

Published: March 27, 2014

The University of Wisconsin-Parkside was the victim of a malware attack. The computer virus accessed a server that contained your personal information as an admitted or enrolled student.

When we discovered the malware while performing regularly scheduled maintenance, the server was immediately shut down and the incident was reported to the UW-Parkside Police and Public Safety Department, and University of Wisconsin System administration.

The server housed a database that included the names, addresses, birth dates, and Social Security numbers of approximately 15,000 admitted and enrolled students. Working with an international computer security consultant (403 Labs, a Division of Sikich LLP) we have established a high level of confidence that the malware did not harvest your information.

While we strongly believe that your personal information was not compromised, if my information was on that server I would want to know. That is why we are making you aware of the potential issue.

On behalf of the entire leadership team, protecting the personal information of our admitted and enrolled students is one of the highest priorities at our university. As with many such incidents, the malware did not indicate its source or those who gained unauthorized access. Investigators found evidence indicating that the attacker's motive was not identity theft and they have found no proof of attempts to download names or Social Security numbers.

To help answer any questions you may have, we have established:
- FAQ website http://www.uwp.edu/explore/news/datasecurityfaq.cfm
- Dedicated email address datasecurity@uwp.edu
- 24-hour call center 888-766-2712

While we have no evidence that anyone's personal information was retrieved or that any information was misused, we are helping individuals access their credit reports which, by federal law, are available at no charge. Instructions are available at the FAQ website http://www.uwp.edu/explore/news/datasecurityfaq.cfm. I encourage you to monitor your personal credit report and financial statements.

In addition to this email notification, a letter is being sent to you via U.S. mail to the most recent address we have on file. Finally, please remember that any communication you receive from the University of Wisconsin-Parkside regarding this issue will not ask you for your personal information.

Sincerely,
Ilya Yakovlev
Chief Information Officer
University of Wisconsin-Parkside