Saint Louis University Data Breach

What Happened?

On March 2, 2023, Saint Louis University (SLU) detected suspicious activities involving their email accounts. This prompted an immediate internal investigation, and a forensic security firm was engaged to delve into the security of SLU's email environment and computer systems. By April 24, 2023, it was confirmed that certain email accounts containing personal information had been accessed multiple times from December 2022 through July 2023. The unauthorized access was restricted to these email accounts and a few documents stored on SLU’s SharePoint and OneDrive platforms. Fortunately, no other systems or data were compromised.

Information Exposed

The breach exposed sensitive data, including Social Security Numbers. This type of information is particularly sensitive because it can be used for identity theft and other forms of fraud.

Steps Taken by Saint Louis University

Following the discovery, SLU took several measures to mitigate the impact and prevent future incidents. These included enhancing their technical security measures. Although there has been no evidence of misuse of the exposed information, SLU has offered affected individuals a complimentary one-year membership of Experian IdentityWorksSM Credit 3B. This service helps in detecting potential misuse of personal information and provides identity protection services focused on immediate identification and resolution of identity theft.

For more details on this service and to activate your complimentary membership, please visit Experian IdentityWorks.

What You Can Do

If you believe you've been affected by this breach, it's crucial to stay vigilant. Monitor your financial accounts closely for any unauthorized activity. Consider placing fraud alerts and credit freezes on your accounts. Fraud alerts can make it harder for identity thieves to open accounts in your name, while credit freezes restrict access to your credit report.

For more tips on protecting yourself, visit the Federal Trade Commission’s identity theft webpage.

Additional Resources

For further assistance and more information, you can contact the dedicated call center set up by SLU at (866) 674-9922, available from 8:00 am – 5:30 pm Central Time, Monday – Friday, excluding major US holidays.

Reporting and Legal Steps

If you suspect identity theft or fraud, report it to the relevant authorities, including local law enforcement, your state’s attorney general, and the FTC. Maine residents can find the disclosure related to this breach on the Maine Attorney General's website.