Illuminate Education Data Breach

What Happened

Illuminate Education, a provider of educational technology and services, experienced a data security incident that was first detected on January 8, 2022. Upon discovering suspicious activity on their systems, Illuminate Education's data security team acted swiftly to take the affected systems offline and initiated an investigation with the help of cybersecurity experts. It was determined that unauthorized access to certain Illuminate databases occurred between December 28, 2021, and January 8, 2022. The breach was contained on January 8th, preventing any further unauthorized access.

Information Exposed

The unauthorized access led to the exposure of sensitive student information. The types of data potentially compromised include:

• Student name
• Academic and behavioral information
• Enrollment details
• Accommodation information
• Special education data
• Student disability code and description
• Date of birth
• Student identification number
• Student demographic information

It is important to note that Social Security numbers, credit card numbers, and bank account information were not included in the data breach.

Illuminate Education's Response

Illuminate Education has taken steps to address the breach and assist those affected. They are offering a complimentary year of credit monitoring services through Kroll, a leader in risk mitigation, for individuals 18 or over. This service includes credit monitoring, fraud consultation, and identity theft restoration.

To activate these services, you can visit Kroll's website and use the provided membership number. Please be aware that the service must be activated by the date specified in the notice you received.

What You Can Do

If you believe you are affected by this breach, it is recommended that you:

1. Stay vigilant by monitoring your account statements and credit reports for any unauthorized activity.
2. Report any suspicious activity to your financial institutions immediately.
3. Consider placing a fraud alert or credit freeze on your credit files with the three major credit reporting bureaus: Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion.

For additional guidance on protecting your personal information, you can contact the consumer reporting agencies, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), or your state Attorney General.

Additional Resources

For questions or concerns, you can reach out to Illuminate Education's support line at the number provided in the notice. The FTC also provides resources on identity theft, which can be accessed at www.identitytheft.gov or by calling 1-877-ID-THEFT (1-877-438-4338).

Illuminate Education deeply regrets any inconvenience or concern caused by this incident and is committed to maintaining the privacy and security of student information.

For the full disclosure of the data breach and to view the official Notice to Consumers, you can visit the California Attorney General's website.