On June 30, 2023, Lansing Community College (“LCC”) filed a notice of data breach with the Attorney General of Maine after discovering that an unauthorized actor had access to the school’s computer system for a period of nearly three months. In the notice provided to the Maine AG, LCC explains that the incident resulted in an unauthorized party being able to access consumers’ sensitive information, which includes their names and Social Security numbers. Upon completing its investigation, LCC began sending out data breach notification letters to all individuals whose information was affected by the recent data security incident.

If you received a data breach notification from Lansing Community College, it is essential you understand what is at risk and what you can do about it. As we’ve discussed in previous posts, hackers can easily use your Social Security number to commit a wide range of frauds, including identity theft. However, there are steps you can take to reduce these risks. Additionally, depending on the outcome of the current investigation into the Lansing Community College breach, the school may be liable to victims through a data breach lawsuit. A data breach lawyer can help you learn more about how to protect yourself from becoming a victim of fraud or identity theft as well as discuss your legal options following the Lansing Community College data breach.

What Caused the Lansing Community College Breach?

The Lansing Community College data breach was only recently announced, and more information is expected in the near future. However, LCC’s filing with the Attorney General of Maine provides some important information on what led up to the breach. According to this source, around March 14, 2023, LCC detected unusual activity within its computer network. In response, LCC immediately launched an investigation to learn more about the incident, as well as whether any student or faculty information was leaked as a result.

Through its investigation, LCC was able to confirm that an unauthorized party was able to access portions of its IT network between December 22, 2022 and March 15, 2023. LCC reports that some of the files that were accessible to the unauthorized party contained confidential information belonging to certain individuals.

After learning that sensitive consumer data was accessible to an unauthorized party, Lansing Community College reviewed the compromised files to determine what information was leaked and which consumers were impacted. Lansing Community College completed this process on May 24, 2023. While the breached information varies depending on the individual, it may include your name and Social Security number.

On June 30, 2023, Lansing Community College sent out data breach letters to anyone who was affected by the recent data security incident. These letters should provide victims with a list of which information of theirs was compromised.

More Information About Lansing Community College

Founded in 1957, Lansing Community College is an institution of higher education located in Lansing, Michigan. LCC is one of the largest community colleges in Michigan, enrolling approximately 17,700 students annually. Lansing Community College offers students their choice of over 200 associate degree and certificate programs as well as various career and workforce development and personal enrichment options. Lansing Community College employs more than 1,823 people and generates approximately $99 million in annual revenue.