Select Education Group (SEG), a US-based postsecondary education company, has confirmed a significant data breach impacting over 67,000 individuals. The breach, which occurred in early November 2023, involved a “sophisticated threat actor” bypassing SEG’s defenses and exfiltrating personal user details, including names, Social Security numbers, billing and payment records, and academic records. Upon discovering the breach, SEG promptly took affected systems offline, notified law enforcement, and engaged cybersecurity experts to investigate. The impacted institutions include the Institute of Technology, National Holistic Institute, Bauman College, Fremont University, and Arch USA, according to the breach notification letter shared by the company.
Losing Social Security numbers and personal identifiers poses significant risks, as cybercriminals can potentially use the stolen data for identity theft. To support the impacted individuals in managing potential cyber threats, SEG has committed to providing victims with complimentary identity protection services via a third party, acknowledging the gravity of the breach and the potential risks associated with the stolen personal information.