Drake University

Drake University, also known as DU, is a higher education institution based in the United States. It operates within the American post-secondary education sector, providing academic instruction and degree programs. The university serves a community of students and employees, though specific metrics regarding enrollment or faculty size are not provided in the available context. Its core mission involves educational services, research, and the conferral of academic credentials. The institution's market position and any special regulatory roles are not detailed in the supplied information. Structurally, no parent organization, subsidiary relationships, or ownership details are mentioned. The university's notable footprint or scale, such as campus size or program reach, remains unspecified in the source material.

In May 2023, Drake University was affected by a significant cybersecurity incident linked to a third-party data breach. The breach exploited a vulnerability in the MOVEit Transfer file transfer tool, which was used by the university's service providers; Drake's internal systems were not directly compromised. Through a vendor associated with TIAA, the personal information of approximately 650 current and former employees was potentially exposed. A separate exposure through the National Student Clearinghouse impacted fewer than five students. The compromised data categories included individuals' names, dates of birth, and academic records. There was no evidence that social security numbers were among the exposed information. The university communicated about the incident via official alerts, noting the third-party nature of the breach. This event underscores the cybersecurity risks inherent in vendor relationships for data handling. Drake University's response involved working with the affected service providers to manage the situation and notify impacted parties. The incident is a documented example of a supply chain attack affecting the education sector.