A laptop computer containing 98,000 Social Security numbers was stolen on March 11 from an employee at the University of California at Berkeley campus. The university reported the theft of this personal information yesterday.
The Social Security numbers belong to graduate students and applicants as well as other individuals. According to U.C. there is no evidence that the personal data has been retrieved or misused, according to wire service reports.
California law requires public notification of large privacy breaches and the university said it’s attempting to notify all those affected, while also suggesting that they notify credit agencies of possible fraud on their accounts.
This latest incident is the third serious data breach at the Berkeley campus reported within the past two years. Other breaches reportedly involved hackers who obtained Social Security numbers, driver’s license numbers and other personal data.
According to the San Francisco Chronicle the Social Security numbers were downloaded a day earlier awaiting encryption, when the laptop was stolen during lunch hour, while a door was unintentionally left unlocked. Police have a description of woman suspect.
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