By Sharon Aron Baron
Cybercriminals have gained access to sensitive information at Broward County Public Schools, according to a news release.
According to the statement, Broward County Public Schools determined that a security incident on March 7, 2021, resulted in unauthorized access to some of its systems that may have potentially included the sensitive information of some faculty, staff, and students.
An investigation determined that an unauthorized person obtained access to BCPS systems between November 12, 2020, and March 6, 2021.
On April 19, 2021, the investigation revealed that “certain records” stored on the District’s systems had been acquired and publicly released. It was determined on On June 8, 2021, that the records released by the cybercriminals included information that included individuals’ names and social security numbers.
On June 29, 2021, further analysis indicated that the data accessed might include information relating to our self-insured health plan, including individuals’ names, dates of birth, Social Security numbers, and benefits selection information.
The District is now providing written notification to the affected individuals and is offering complimentary credit monitoring, by request, to those affected. It has established a dedicated call center for anyone who has questions at 1-855-545-1943, Monday through Friday from 9:00 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. Eastern Time, excluding some U.S. holidays.
To further protect personal information, the District has implemented additional measures to enhance the security of its network.
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