Our Lady of the Lake University

Summary

Our Lady of the Lake University experienced a cybersecurity incident where an unauthorized party accessed its computer network and removed files containing sensitive student information. The breach compromised names, Social Security numbers, driver’s license details, passport and government identification numbers, dates of birth, bank account information, and online credentials. Following an investigation with external cybersecurity experts, OLLU confirmed the exposure of confidential data and subsequently notified affected individuals. The incident impacted personal and financial details, prompting the institution to issue breach notification letters to those whose information was potentially accessed by the attackers.

Motives

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TTPs

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Description

On August 30, 2022, Our Lady of the Lake University (OLLU) discovered that an unauthorized party had gained access to its computer network. The university did not publicly disclose the specific method of intrusion but immediately engaged external cybersecurity professionals to assist with investigating the incident. The investigation confirmed that the unauthorized actor accessed portions of OLLU's network and removed files containing confidential student information. While the university did not specify the duration of unauthorized access or the exact systems compromised, it determined that the breach exposed sensitive personal data. OLLU completed its review of the affected files to identify both the nature of the compromised information and the individuals impacted. The institution delayed public notification until March 31, 2023, when it posted a formal breach notice on its website and initiated mailing letters to affected parties.

The compromised data included names, Social Security numbers, driver's license numbers, passport numbers, government identification numbers, OLLU-issued identification numbers, dates of birth, bank account information, and online credentials. OLLU did not quantify the number of affected individuals but confirmed the breach impacted current or former students whose information resided in the accessed files. As a private Catholic university with approximately 3,100 students and campuses in San Antonio, The Woodlands, and Rio Grande Valley, the incident exposed sensitive identifiers that could facilitate identity theft or financial fraud. The university's response focused on forensic investigation, data analysis, and regulatory compliance through delayed notifications seven months post-discovery. No ransomware claims, financial demands, or data misuse evidence were disclosed in the available notification. The breach occurred within an institution generating approximately $78 million in annual revenue and maintaining over 598 employees, though OLLU did not attribute the incident to any specific vulnerability or threat actor in its public statement.

Sources

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