Several colleges and universities have recently disclosed a data breach linked to the National Student Clearinghouse (NSC), affecting students’ personal information. The breach stemmed from a vulnerability in the MOVEit file transfer program used by NSC, enabling unauthorized access to sensitive data. Institutions such as UB University at Buffalo and Colorado State University were among those notified by NSC about compromised student data.
Upon discovering the breach, NSC promptly initiated an investigation with the assistance of third-party data security specialists and notified law enforcement. The investigation confirmed that unauthorized parties accessed files transferred through NSC’s MOVEit environment, including data maintained on behalf of colleges. NSC is currently assessing the compromised files to determine the extent of leaked information and identify affected students.
As a provider of educational reporting and data exchange services to numerous colleges and universities nationwide, NSC collects confidential student information to facilitate its operations. Founded in 1993, NSC plays a pivotal role in education verification and student outcomes research, overseeing the academic records of a vast majority of students enrolled in higher education institutions and high schools across the United States. Despite the breach, NSC remains committed to resolving the incident and will notify affected parties once the investigation is concluded.
