Information Security Incident - May 2008

[Letter sent to 168 students on May 9, 2008]

Dear Student,

While troubleshooting a technical problem on a staff workstation, the Network Security Office at California State University Dominguez Hills discovered that unauthorized computer intruders had gained illegal access to one individual workstation. The main student records database was not compromised.  However, some files on these workstations included personal information, such as your name and Social Security Number needed for University business operations.  Although there is no evidence to indicate that the intruders accessed your personal information, or will use it for identity theft, we are sending this notification to you as required by California Civil Code 1798.29.  Although we cannot provide advice on how you should proceed, we provide limited logistical information as follows:

To detect identity theft, one option you have is to contact one of the credit reporting agencies, each of which has an automated phone-in fraud alert process.  If you place a fraud alert, the agency with which you place the initial alert will notify the other two agencies.  Fraud alerts will then be placed automatically on your accounts at those two agencies, and all three agencies will separately mail credit reports to you at no cost. Contact information for the credit bureaus:

• Equifax – 800-685-1111 or www.equifax.com
• Experian (formerly TRW) – 888-397-3742 or www.experian.com
• Trans Union – 800-888-4213 or www.transunion.com

Once you receive your credit reports, review them for any suspicious activity.  If you find evidence of accounts you did not open or incorrect personal information, contact the credit bureau(s) or University Police Office to file a report of identity theft. 

For additional information, visit the University’s Information Technology Security Office website at http://www.csudh.edu/securityinfo.  If you do not have access to the Internet, you can alternately call 310-243-2305 to leave a message.

The investigation of this incident is ongoing.  We do not have all of the details at this time.   Please be assured that the University will investigate this matter thoroughly.

Sincerely,

Ronald F. Bergmann, Ed.D.
Information Security Officer
Acting Associate Vice-President of Information Technology/CIO