GU Breach Found Almost Three Weeks Ago

[MountainLaurel]

A cyber attack on a Georgetown University computer server that exposed personal information on 41,000 elderly District residents was discovered almost three weeks ago during a routine, internal inspection, a university spokesman said yesterday.

The break-in, first disclosed by the university Friday, was not reported earlier because "it took some time to understand the nature and scope of the intrusion," spokesman Erik Smulson said.

Additional time was needed for the U.S. Secret Service -- the federal agency that investigates identity theft -- to examine the compromised server and for the university to set up a Web site and a hotline to inform the public about the attack, Smulson added.

The invaded server was used by a researcher to monitor services provided to the elderly for the D.C. Office on Aging. The personal information, including names, birthdates and Social Security numbers, was supplied by about 20 groups that contract with the Office on Aging to serve the elderly.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/03/04/AR2006030401028.html