On August 25, 2023, Gaston College filed a notice of data breach with the Attorney General of Maine after discovering that an unauthorized party was able to access confidential information that was stored on Gaston College’s IT network. In this notice, Gaston College explains that the incident resulted in an unauthorized party being able to access consumers’ sensitive information, which includes their names and Social Security numbers. Upon completing its investigation, Gaston College began sending out data breach notification letters to all individuals whose information was affected by the recent data security incident.

If you received a data breach notification from Gaston College, it is essential you understand what is at risk and what you can do about it. A data breach lawyer can help you learn more about how to protect yourself from becoming a victim of fraud or identity theft, as well as discuss your legal options following the Gaston College data breach. For more information, please see our recent piece on the topic here.

What Caused the Gaston College Breach?

The Gaston College data breach was only recently announced, and more information is expected in the near future. However, Gaston College’s filing with the Attorney General of Maine provides some important information on what led up to the breach. According to this source, on approximately February 22, 2023, Gaston College detected suspicious activity within its computer environment. In response, Gaston College secured its systems and then launched an investigation with help from the North Carolina Joint Cybersecurity Task Force as well as third-party cybersecurity experts.

Gaston College’s investigation confirmed that there was unauthorized access to the college’s computer network between February 21, 2023 and February 22, 2023. It was later determined that some of the files that were accessible to the unauthorized party contained confidential consumer information.

After learning that sensitive consumer data was accessible to an unauthorized party, Gaston College reviewed the compromised files to determine what information was leaked and which consumers were impacted. While the breached information varies depending on the individual, it may include your name and Social Security number.

On August 25, 2023, Gaston College sent out data breach letters to anyone who was affected by the recent data security incident. These letters should provide victims with a list of what information belonging to them was compromised. Gaston College’s recent filing with the Attorney General of Maine estimates that over 191,000 individuals were affected by the recent breach.

More Information About Gaston College

Gaston College is a community college based in Dallas, North Carolina. Currently, Gaston College operates three campuses, hosting a student body of over 20,000. Students have a choice of over 100 majors, minors, degree programs and certificate programs. Gaston College employs more than 460 people and generates approximately $332 million in annual revenue.