TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — A data breach involving a Florida student financial aid website may have exposed personal information, including Social Security numbers, belonging to approximately 4.9 million people, according to the Florida Department of Education (FLDOE).
FLDOE said in a Thursday statement that staff became aware Oct. 19 of unauthorized criminal access involving its Florida Student Financial Aid website.
The department said the compromised personally identifiable information included Social Security numbers. Officials did not specify what other types of personal information may have been exposed.
The breach is believed to have been limited to the Florida Student Financial Aid website, and as many as 4.9 million people potentially were affected, according to FLDOE.
The department said it activated its cybersecurity response protocols after detecting the incident, took steps to contain the unauthorized activity and secure its systems, and notified the Florida Attorney General’s Office.
FLDOE said it is working with the Florida Digital Service and Florida Department of Law Enforcement. The incident remains under criminal investigation.
What does the breach mean for financial aid?
FLDOE said current financial aid is not at risk and the incident will not delay financial aid disbursements or tuition payments from the department.
Officials also said the breach will not affect eligibility for scholarships, grants or student loans from FLDOE.
Some department websites and online services, however, may experience temporary disruptions as officials work to restore full functionality.
What should people affected by the breach do?
FLDOE recommends monitoring financial and online accounts for suspicious activity and regularly reviewing account statements and credit reports.
The department also recommends considering a fraud alert or credit freeze with the major credit bureaus. Consumers can obtain free credit reports through AnnualCreditReport.com and find additional information about responding to a data breach through the Federal Trade Commission’s IdentityTheft.gov website.
Anyone with questions about the FLDOE breach can contact the department at databreach@fldoe.org.
FLDOE said information could change as the criminal investigation continues. The department is posting updates on its data breach information page.
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