On April 3, 2024, the University of Alabama filed a notice of data breach with the Attorney General of Massachusetts after discovering that an unauthorized party was able to access an employee’s email account. In this notice, UA explains 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, UA 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 the University of Alabama, it is essential you understand what is at risk and what you can do about it. 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 University of Alabama data breach. For more information, please see our recent piece on the topic here.

What Caused the University of Alabama Data Breach?

The University of Alabama data breach was only recently announced, and more information is expected in the near future. However, UA’s filing with the Attorney General of Massachusetts provides some important information on what led up to the breach. According to this source, on February 19, 2024, the University of Alabama learned that an employee’s email account had been compromised when an unauthorized party appeared to have gained access to the account.

In response, UA administration scanned the employee’s email account to determine what, if any, confidential information may have been stored within the account. This investigation confirmed the presence of several documents containing confidential consumer information.

After learning that sensitive consumer data was accessible to an unauthorized party, the University of Alabama reviewed the compromised files to determine what information was leaked and which consumers were impacted. While the breached information varies depending on the individual, it may include your name and Social Security number.

On April 3, 2024, the University of Alabama 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 what information belonging to them was compromised.

More Information About the University of Alabama

Founded in 1831, the University of Alabama is a public research university located in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. UA is the oldest and largest public university in Alabama, with an average student body of approximately 38,000. The University of Alabama offers programs through 13 academic divisions, leading to bachelor's, master's, education specialist, and doctoral degrees. UA offers academic programs that are not available at any other college or university in the state, including law, anthropology, social work, communication and information sciences, metallurgical engineering, and music. The University of Alabama employs more than 1,615 people and generates approximately $946 million in annual revenue.