Monmouth College, located approximately 30 minutes from Henry County, Illinois, disclosed a ransomware attack that transpired over the holiday season, impacting a total of 44,737 individuals. The attack, which was reported to regulators in Maine and California, was uncovered on December 14, with investigations revealing that hackers had gained access to the college’s systems starting from December 6. In addition to the significant number of individuals affected, the hackers also accessed sensitive personal information, including driver’s licenses and ID cards, among other data.
As a precautionary measure, the college is offering one year of identity protection services to the affected victims, acknowledging the increasingly common nature of such cyber incidents and their impact on organizations, even those with advanced IT infrastructure.