Rio Hondo Community College has reported a significant data breach to the California Attorney General after falling victim to a ransomware attack in October 2023. This breach allowed an unauthorized party access to sensitive information, including names, addresses, Social Security numbers, and dates of birth. Following an extensive investigation, Rio Hondo began notifying affected individuals through data breach notification letters, urging them to be vigilant against potential fraud or identity theft. The breach, confirmed on February 27, 2024, impacted both current and former students, and the college is actively addressing the aftermath by providing detailed information about the compromised data.
The Rio Hondo Community College data breach was discovered on October 19, 2023, during a ransomware attack that encrypted portions of its IT network. Immediate measures were taken to secure the system, and third-party data security specialists were engaged to investigate the incident. The investigation revealed unauthorized access to the college’s computer network between October 12, 2023, and October 19, 2023, with files containing confidential information exposed. Rio Hondo completed its review of compromised files on January 25, 2024, and has since been proactively communicating with affected individuals through data breach letters, detailing the nature of the breached information.
