On February 27, 2024, Rio Hondo Community College District (“Rio Hondo”) filed a notice of data breach with the Attorney General of California after experiencing a ransomware attack in October 2023. In this notice, Rio Hondo explains that the incident resulted in an unauthorized party being able to access consumers’ sensitive information, which includes their names, addresses, Social Security numbers, and dates of birth. Upon completing its investigation, Rio Hondo 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 Rio Hondo Community 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 Rio Hondo Community College data breach. For more information, please see our recent piece on the topic here.

What Caused the Rio Hondo Community College Data Breach?

The Rio Hondo Community College data breach was only recently announced, and more information is expected in the near future. However, Rio Hondo’s filing with the Attorney General of California provides some important information on what led up to the breach. Rio Hondo also posted a website notice discussing the incident.

According to these sources, on October 19, 2023, Rio Hondo discovered that portions of its IT network had been encrypted during a ransomware attack. In response, Rio Hondo took steps to secure its system and then began working with third-party data security specialists to investigate the incident.

Ultimately, Rio Hondo’s investigation confirmed that an unauthorized party was able to access its computer network between October 12, 2023 and October 19, 2023, including files containing confidential information belonging to current and former students.

After learning that sensitive consumer data was accessible to an unauthorized party, Rio Hondo Community College reviewed the compromised files to determine what information was leaked and which consumers were impacted. Rio Hondo completed this process on January 25, 2024. While the breached information varies depending on the individual, it may include your name, address, Social Security number, and date of birth.

On February 27, 2024, Rio Hondo Community 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.

More Information About Rio Hondo Community College

Founded in 1963, Rio Hondo Community College is a community college located in Whittier, California. Rio Hondo College serves the communities of El Monte, Pico Rivera, Santa Fe Springs, South El Monte, and Whittier. The school enrolls approximately 20,000 students per semester. Rio Hondo Community College employs more than 1,000 people and generates approximately $42 million in annual revenue.