On April 28, 2023, Whitworth University filed a notice of data breach with the Attorney General of Maine after the school learned that a ransomware attack exposed confidential student information to unauthorized access. Based on the company’s official filing, the incident resulted in an unauthorized party gaining access to students’ first and last names, Social Security numbers, student identification numbers, dates of birth, passport numbers, and health information. After confirming that consumer data was leaked, Whitworth University began sending out data breach notification letters to all individuals who were impacted by the recent data security incident.

If you received a data breach notification from Whitworth University, it is essential you understand what is at risk and what you can do about it. As a student, you trust your school to keep all your information secure. However, recently, schools have become a high-priority target for hackers, requiring educational institutions to step-up their data security systems. While many schools have done so, others have not, which can increase the risk of a data breach. To learn more about how to protect yourself from becoming a victim of fraud or identity theft and what your legal options are in the wake of the Whitworth University data breach, please see our recent piece on the topic here.

What We Know So Far About the Whitworth University Breach

News of the Whitworth University data breach is still fresh; however, what we know at this point comes from the company’s filing with the Maine Attorney General. According to this source, on July 29, 2022, Whitworth University experienced a ransomware attack. In response, the school began working with outside cybersecurity specialists to investigate the incident and learn more about what student data, if any, was exposed.

The Whitworth University investigation confirmed that the ransomware attackers were able to access files containing confidential student information.

Upon discovering that sensitive consumer data was made available to an unauthorized party, Whitworth University began to review the affected files to determine what information was compromised and which consumers were impacted. While the breached information varies depending on the individual, it may include your first and last name, Social Security number, student identification number, date of birth, passport number, and health information.

On April 28, 2023, Whitworth University sent out data breach letters to all individuals whose information was compromised as a result of the recent data security incident.

More Information About Whitworth University

Founded in 1980, Whitworth University is a private Christian university located in Spokane, Washington. The school is affiliated with the Presbyterian Church. Whitworth University enrolls approximately 3,000 students annually, who are able to select a course of study from nearly 100 majors, minors, and certificate programs. Whitworth University employs more than 721 people and generates approximately $150 million in annual revenue.