Cyber Incident Victim: University of Louisiana at Monroe
Date:
Aug 2014
Location:
United States of America
Summary
The University of Louisiana at Monroe experienced a data security breach involving unauthorized access to an employee's email account, potentially compromising personal information of recent graduates. The incident, attributed to a phishing attack targeting the employee, affected approximately 1,394 students. The institution reinforced data security protocols with its foundation staff and implemented broader measures to strengthen information protection systems.
| CIA Posture | Motives | Tactics, Techniques & Procedures |
|---|---|---|
| Available to members | 1 motive | 1 technique |
| Threat Actors | Type | Location |
|---|---|---|
| 0 actors | Available to members | Available to members |
Description
On August 21, 2014, the University of Louisiana at Monroe (ULM) disclosed a data security breach involving unauthorized access to an employee’s email account. The incident occurred the preceding Tuesday, though the specific calendar date was not provided in available sources. ULM indicated the breach potentially compromised personal information of students who graduated during Fall 2013 and Spring 2014 semesters. Based on archived university press releases referenced in reports, approximately 1,394 graduates from those terms were affected, though ULM did not publicly confirm the exact number of impacted individuals. The compromised data type was not detailed beyond "personal information," and the university did not specify whether Social Security numbers, financial records, or other sensitive categories were exposed. ULM attributed the breach to external unauthorized access but initially withheld technical details about the intrusion method or duration of unauthorized access prior to detection.
ULM responded by reinforcing data security measures with its Foundation staff and implementing broader institutional security enhancements, though specific technical or procedural changes were not described in available reports. An August 22, 2014 update revealed the breach originated from a phishing attack that successfully deceived the employee, confirming social engineering as the initial attack vector. The university did not disclose whether multi-factor authentication was in use prior to the incident or whether additional accounts or systems were accessed. Media inquiries from Databreaches.net seeking clarification on containment timelines, forensic findings, or victim notification procedures went unanswered as of the last documented update. No public statements from ULM regarding credit monitoring services for affected individuals or regulatory filings with state authorities were identified in the source material. The incident remained unresolved in public reporting channels at the time of coverage, with no subsequent updates confirming remediation completion or legal outcomes.