Posted On March 29, 2023 Consumer Privacy & Data Breaches
March 28, 2023 – Oklahoma City University (“OCU”) discovered that a cyberattack jeopardized the security of current and former students, staff members, and others whose personal information was stored on the university’s systems, and on March 20, 2023, OCU filed a notice of data breach with the Attorney General of Montana. The incident led to the unauthorized party learning the names, addresses, license and state ID numbers, passport numbers, and Social Security numbers of consumers, according to the university’s official report. When it was established that customer data had been compromised, OCU started notifying everyone who had been affected by the recent data security issue.
Console & Associates, P.C.’s data breach lawyers are examining the data breach at Oklahoma City University. If you received a breach notification, your confidential information could be at risk of being utilized for fraudulent or identity theft activities. Contact us for a free consultation to learn more about what actions to take, how to protect yourself in the foreseeable future, and if you can bring a data breach legal action against OCU for financial compensation.
OCU, which has its headquarters in Oklahoma City, is made up of eight colleges and schools, including the Ann Lacy School of American Dance and Entertainment, the Wimberly School of Religion, the School of Law, the Petree College of Arts & Sciences, the Wanda L. Bass School of Music, the Kramer School of Nursing, the Meinders School of Business, and the School of Theatre. OCU offers students a total of 20 graduate degrees and 70 undergraduate programs. Almost 3,000 students attend Oklahoma City University, plus 1,200 graduate students. Oklahoma City University, founded in 1904, employs over 650 people today and brings in about $70 million annually.
The company’s report with the Attorney General of Montana claims that OCU suffered a cyberattack in July 2022, making the university’s computer network unavailable. OCU responded by informing the authorities about the occurrence and starting an investigation with outside cybersecurity specialists.
According to the Oklahoma City University investigation, the attacker got the personal data of current and former students, workers, and other individuals whose information was stored on the university’s servers.
Oklahoma City University started investigating the affected files after learning that private information on students and staff had been exposed to an unauthorized source. They wanted to know what information had been hacked and who was affected. Names, addresses, license and state ID numbers, passport numbers, and Social Security numbers of consumers might all have been compromised, however, the specifics may vary by individual.
Oklahoma City University notified all those whose information was stolen as a result of the current data security issue by sending out data breach letters on March 20, 2023.
People assumed that their sensitive information would be safe in the hands of OCU, expecting them to stop any hackers from illegally accessing the data. If it transpires that OCU was negligent in its protection of the data, then the affected individuals may be able to take legal action against the university and seek recompense for any financial losses caused by the breach.
The consumer privacy lawyers at Console & Associates, P.C. help customers affected by data and security breaches pursue legal solutions by offering free consultations. By explaining your rights in clear, concise terms, we help you make an informed decision about your next steps. If you are a victim of the Oklahoma City University data breach, Console & Associates, P.C. will investigate at no charge to you and offer advice on how to proceed. If you decide to pursue a case, rest assured that we don’t get paid unless you do. If your claim is successful, legal fees are either paid out of the funds recovered or by the defendant. If your claim is not successful, you pay nothing.
To schedule your free consultation, just call (866) 778-5500 today or fill out our secure contact form.
Below is a portion of the notice posted to their website:
Oklahoma City University is notifying individuals whose information may have been involved in a cybersecurity incident.
In July of 2022 Oklahoma City University (OCU) suffered a cyberattack from an unauthorized third party that resulted in systems and servers being inoperable for a limited time. Immediately upon identifying the incident, OCU engaged third-party cybersecurity experts to assess, contain, and remediate the incident. Law enforcement was also notified.
Through its ongoing investigation, OCU recently has learned that the unauthorized party obtained some personal identifiable information of current and prior students and employees and others with information held on the university’s systems. The following categories of information may have been exposed to the unauthorized party during the compromise: Name, Address, Social Security Number, Driver’s License/State ID Number, and Passport Number. Notably, the types of information affected varied by individual, and not every individual had every element exposed.
While the university is not currently aware of any fraud or identity theft related to the incident, OCU has sent written notification to the individuals whose personal information was included in the involved documents. Affected individuals should refer to the notice they will receive in the mail regarding steps to protect themselves. As described in those letters, OCU has arranged for complimentary identity theft protection services for those individuals whose names and Social Security numbers were involved in the incident.
As a precautionary measure, individuals should promptly report any fraudulent activity or suspected identity theft to proper law enforcement authorities, including the police and their state’s attorney general. This notification was not delayed due to a law enforcement investigation. Affected individuals may also wish to review advice provided by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) on fraud alerts, security/credit freezes, and steps that they can take to avoid identity theft. For more information and to contact the FTC, individuals can visit ftc.gov/idtheft or call 877-ID-THEFT (877-438-4338). Affected individuals may also contact the FTC at Federal Trade Commission, 600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20580.
