Incident Details
College of the Canyons has been in contact with over 2,400 individuals who were affected by an unauthorized data breach that occurred via its insurance provider. The breach, which took place between Aug. 21 and Aug. 27, involved Keenan & Associates, a consulting and brokerage firm based in Torrance, with the Santa Clarita Community College District being one of its clients. The breach was a result of a ransomware attack, leading to the exposure of private data such as names, Social Security numbers, driver's license numbers, passport numbers, general health information, health insurance details, and other work-related data. This incident shed light on the company's security flaws and its failure to prevent unauthorized entry into its internal systems. The immediate consequence of the breach was the illicit access to personal information belonging to both current and former staff members. With the enforcement of more stringent security protocols and regular system monitoring and updates, this breach could have been avoided. It emphasizes the significance of robust cybersecurity measures and the constant need to safeguard sensitive data. To sum up, College of the Canyons encountered an unauthorized data breach via their insurance provider, leading to the exposure of personal information belonging to more than 2,400 employees.
Incident
How Did the Breach Happen?
A security incident took place involving the insurance provider Keenan & Associates at College of the Canyons. During a period from August 21 to August 27, an unauthorized individual was able to infiltrate the organization's internal networks by means of a ransomware attack.
What Data has been Compromised?
Personal details, such as names, Social Security numbers, driver's license numbers, passport numbers, general health information, health insurance details, and other employment-related data were among the information that was breached.
Why Did the company's Security Measures Fail?
The security protocols implemented by the company did not effectively stop the breach because they were not successful in identifying and blocking unauthorized entry to their internal networks.
What Immediate Impact Did the Breach Have on the company?
Following the breach, the personal data of over 2,400 present and past employees was accessed without authorization.
How could this have been prevented?
Implementing more rigorous security measures, consistently monitoring and updating systems to avoid weaknesses, and bolstering cybersecurity protocols could have averted this breach.
What have we learned from this data breach?
The incident involving unauthorized access to data underscores the significance of strong cybersecurity protocols and the necessity of maintaining a vigilant stance to safeguard confidential data against threats.
Summary of Coverage
The unauthorized access of data at College of the Canyons was caused by a breach from their insurance provider, which led to the exposure of personal data belonging to over 2,400 employees. This breach was a result of a ransomware attack, pointing out a weakness in the institution's security protocols. Strengthening security measures, along with consistent system monitoring and updates, could have averted this breach. The occurrence underscores the importance of robust cybersecurity practices and ongoing attention to safeguarding confidential information.