Posted On March 8, 2023 Consumer Privacy & Data Breaches
March 8, 2023 – Tennessee State University (“TSU”) experienced what it thinks to have been a ransomware attack, and as a result, the university published a “Notice of Suspicious Network Activity” on February 26, 2023. Many people are speculating about whether the cyberattack compromised student or staff information because some of the school’s networks are still down as of March 6, 2023. Despite the fact that the specifics of the breach are still unknown, TSU is required by the current data breach notification laws to notify everyone who was affected by the recent data security incident.
The TSU data theft is currently being looked into by the Console & Associates, P.C. data breach lawyers. We are providing no-cost consultations where we can go over your legal options if you have received a breach notice and are curious about what you can do to protect yourself and whether you may be eligible for financial compensation from TSU.
Tennessee State institution is the only historically Black institution in Tennessee with state funding. Established in 1912 in Nashville, Tennessee, TSU has over 8,000 students enrolled and nearly 500 faculty members. The school also employs over 2,428, bringing in about $160 million a year in revenue.
According to notices on TSU’s website, on February 26, 2023, administrators discovered extremely suspicious behavior on a number of computers connected to the school’s computer network. TSU thought the incident was caused by a ransomware attack at the time based on the nature of the behavior. TSU responded by taking its networks offline while it looked into the matter.
By March 1, 2023, TSU had declared the cyberattack a “ransomware threat” and informed both students and staff that remote access to MyTSU, VPN, Citrix, and Banner Services would be blocked. The TSU issued another update on March 6, 2023, stating that “[t]he breach is considered only a threat, and not a ransomware attack, at this point.” TSU likewise pleaded for your understanding as it worked to further examine and address the incident.
The recent “ransomware threat” may have exposed student or faculty information, though TSU has not yet verified this. If this is the case, TSU must send letters to those impacted by a data breach.
You probably had no qualms about disclosing your private information to a reputable institution like Tennessee State as a student or faculty member. With this data breach, TSU’s ability to keep your information private has been questioned. It is the company’s responsibility to provide security and to guard confidential patient data with vigilance.
If you have received a notification letter that you are a victim of the data breach, you may be able to pursue a lawsuit against Tennessee State University and receive financial compensation. Knowing your rights in a situation like this is crucial.
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 Tennessee State 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.
