The Minnesota Department of Education reveals a significant data breach impacting 95,000 students in a global cyber-security attack. The breach targeted MOVEit, a file transfer software used for encrypting and transferring data by various companies and government agencies. Upon discovering the vulnerability on May 31, state officials swiftly responded to protect the compromised files, containing sensitive information from state education and human services departments. The affected data included details of students in foster care, Minneapolis and Perham school districts, and Hennepin Technical College.
The breach exposed information such as demographics, dates of birth, and counties of placement for approximately 95,000 students in foster care statewide. Notably, students from the Perham district qualifying for pandemic electronic benefit transfers and high school students enrolled at Hennepin Technical College were among those affected. The compromised student data encompassed names, addresses, dates of birth, and additional personal details. Despite the severity of the breach, education officials assured that no financial information was compromised.
In response to the breach, the Minnesota Department of Education has taken steps to enhance data security measures and promptly notified both state and federal law enforcement agencies. They are actively working to inform individuals whose data was accessed, urging them to monitor their credit through free annual reports. Acknowledging the potential negative consequences, education officials emphasize the illegal nature of third parties accessing private data and express their commitment to addressing the aftermath of the breach.
