Stolen Cornell laptop contained 45,000 SSN
Thursday, June 25, 2009
Cornell University on Tuesday acknowledged that a university-owned computer stolen in early June contained the names and Social Security numbers of approximately 45,000 current and former staff and students and some dependents, leaving them vulnerable to identity theft.
The Cornell Daily Sun reported Wednesday that a member of the Cornell IT staff left the laptop in a physically unsecure environment, which violates university policy. New York state police have begun an investigation into the theft and told the paper the employee was not a suspect.
The university said it has begun sending emails and letters to the individuals whose information was on the computer. They will be offered one year of free credit monitoring and identity restoration services.
"In response to incidents of theft like this one and the increasing number of internet-enabled computer attacks, the university is continually enhancing its systems and practices," Polley A. McClure, vice president for information technologies, said in the letter.
Last June, a university computer was hacked, leading Cornell to warn 2,500 students and alumni that their personal information had potentially been stolen, the Daily Sun reported.
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