Information Security News: Stolen PC had student SSNs

[InfoSec News <alerts () infosecnews org>]

http://media.www.rutgersobserver.com/media/storage/paper822/news/2007/01/23/News/Stolen.Pc.Had.Student.Ssns-2669141.shtml

By Helen Schamrai
1/23/07

Computer owners at Rutgers-Newark now have more to worry about than just 
viruses and busted hardware.

Gabriela Kutting, associate professor of political science, reported her 
laptop stolen to Rutgers police Sept. 5, 2006. The laptop contained the 
social security numbers of 200 R-N students. The computer was taken from 
her office in Hill Hall despite having locked her door, Kutting said.

Kutting's laptop is one of five incidents of computer theft reported so 
far this academic year. [see graphic for other incidents] No reports of 
stolen personal information were made to the police in past incidences, 
except in Kutting's case; the computer stored her own personal 
information, and also student-sensitive information, including their 
personal identification numbers, police said.

Kutting said she had the social security numbers on the laptop because 
she used the information to report students' grades at the end of each 
semester. However, since Rutgers University began using the RUID in 
place of the social security number, the stolen computer only had 
information of students from past years.

There have not been any reports of identity theft from any of the 
students in Kutting's class, said Det. Lt. Bradley Morgan.

In October 2006, the laptop of a graduate student in Smith Hall was 
stolen from her locked office as well.

"If these were isolated incidences, then we were both unlucky. If these 
things occur regularly, then I think there needs to be more widespread 
knowledge and a policy on how to keep intellectual property safe," 
Kutting said

"If university data relating to both teaching and research get stolen 
from behind locked doors on university property, then that prevents 
faculty from doing their job and it becomes about intellectual property 
theft as well as material theft," she said.

It took until December for her to get insurance money and a replacement 
computer, "and now have a computer that is of a much lower standard than 
the stolen one as the insurance takes off a deductible of 500 dollars," 
Kutting said.

"Fortunately I had all my research work backed up at home, but obviously 
not my teaching and service files. Especially all my letters of 
recommendation were lost and that was a real pain."

According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, identity theft is 
one of the fastest growing crimes in America. A stolen social security 
number can be used to apply for credit under the victim's name and buy 
things without paying bills, the government Web site stated.

Students worried about stolen identity can get a free annual credit 
report from annualcreditreport.com and check to make sure their credit 
is balanced, Morgan said.


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