Great Hearts Academies Data Breach

Understanding the Great Hearts Academies Data Breach

Great Hearts America, an educational management organization known for its classical K-12 public schools, recently experienced a data security incident. On October 14, 2023, Great Hearts was alerted by their managed services provider, Veeya, of unusual activity within their network. This incident potentially led to unauthorized access and acquisition of sensitive personal information.

What Happened?

The breach was discovered when Veeya noticed unusual network activity and immediately took steps to isolate the environment. A specialized law firm and a third-party forensic team were engaged to investigate the breach. By January 16, 2024, Veeya provided Great Hearts with the potentially impacted data, which included personal information of individuals associated with Great Hearts.

What Information Was Involved?

The data accessed by an unauthorized party included Social Security Numbers. It's important to note that, as of now, there is no evidence of fraudulent misuse of this information.

What Has Been Done?

Great Hearts has taken the incident seriously and acted swiftly to investigate and address the breach. They have worked with cybersecurity experts to ensure that additional protective measures are in place to prevent future incidents. Great Hearts has also provided access to credit monitoring services for affected individuals to help safeguard their information.

What You Can Do

If you believe you might be affected by this breach, it is crucial to stay vigilant. Monitor your account statements and credit reports for any unauthorized activity. You may consider placing a fraud alert or a security freeze on your credit files. Great Hearts has also made available Single Bureau Credit Monitoring services for those impacted. To enroll, visit the provided \[enrollment link]\(<>) and use the unique code provided in their notice.

For More Information

Great Hearts has established a dedicated helpline for those who have questions about the incident. The helpline is available Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Eastern time, excluding holidays. You can call 1-XXX-XXX-XXXX and provide the unique code from the notice for assistance.

Additional Resources

• Obtain a free credit report from AnnualCreditReport.com.
• Consider placing a security freeze by contacting the credit bureaus: Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion.
• Place fraud alerts with the credit bureaus
• Learn more about protecting yourself from identity theft through the Federal Trade Commission.

Conclusion

Great Hearts has expressed their commitment to the security of personal information and deeply regrets any inconvenience caused by this incident. They encourage affected individuals to take advantage of the resources provided and to reach out for support if needed. For further details, you can review the full notice on the Maine Attorney General's website.

Remember, staying informed and proactive is the best defense against the potential misuse of your personal information following a data breach.