Posted On May 14, 2023 Consumer Privacy & Data Breaches
May 14 – After Gaston College announced on March 3, 2023 that it had been the target of a ransomware attack, the college warned students and staff that their personal data may have been compromised. Gaston College is now evaluating all impacted data to identify what kind of information was compromised and whose it was as part of its ongoing investigation into the issue. Gaston College will start notifying anyone who was affected by the data breach as soon as the investigation is complete.
The data breach lawyers of Console & Associates, P.C. are now looking into the security incident at Gaston College. If you have received a breach notice from Gaston College and are concerned about the possibility of identity theft and what steps you may take to protect yourself, we are happy to meet with you for free to discuss your rights and options for pursuing a lawsuit for compensation.
Gaston College is a public community college with three locations: the main campus in Dallas, North Carolina, and two other locations in Belmont and Lincolnton. There are more than a hundred different degree and certification options available to the more than 20,000 students enrolled. Gaston College was founded in 1964 and has since grown to employ more than 460 people and produce yearly revenue of over $332 million.
Posts on Gaston College’s website indicate that the school became aware of a network security breach on February 22, 2023. The school responded by blocking parts of its network so that it could conduct an investigation.
More details on the event were released by Gaston College on March 3, 2023; they said that it was the result of a ransomware assault by an unauthorized third party. Gaston College was not permitted to make the ransom payment under North Carolina law. Gaston College’s systems were back up during the following weeks while the school conducted its investigation.
On April 26, 2023, Gaston College updated its website to state that it is investigating the scope of the network security breach and is reviewing any possibly affected data as quickly as possible.
When it confirms that personal information was compromised, Gaston College will begin delivering data breach notifications to all people whose information was leaked.
When hackers launch a cyberattack on a firm, one of the methods they use is to put ransomware on the network. Malware, or malicious software, encrypts data and prevents access to a company’s internal network. When files are encoded, anybody without the appropriate decoding software will be unable to access them.
When hackers demand money from a corporation before releasing stolen information, it makes it ransomware. Once the ransom is paid, the information will be encrypted, and the attack will stop.
Recent hacker threats have been particularly menacing. Data backups significantly reduce the likelihood of a corporation paying a ransom. Because of this, “double extortion” has become a common tactic among hackers. In the event that they are not paid, they plan to encrypt the company’s data and publish them on the dark web, where they might be utilized by criminals for fraudulent purposes or identity theft.
With modern, regularly updated data security tools, it is possible to shield yourself against ransomware. Hackers make money off of obsolete technology by actively hunting for and exploiting security flaws. If a company has modern security measures in place, it can anticipate attacks and protect itself from them.
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 Gaston College 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.
