On September 3, 2023, The University System of Georgia released a statement confirming that confidential information in the organization’s possession was subject to unauthorized access as a result of the MOVEit vulnerability. In this notice, USG explains that the incident resulted in an unauthorized party being able to access highly sensitive information, which includes students' and faculty members’ names, Social Security numbers, addresses, email addresses, phone numbers, salary and benefit information, and other personally identifiable information. Upon completing its investigation, USG 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 the University System of Georgia, 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 University System of Georgia MOVEit data breach. For more information, please see our recent piece on the topic here.

What Caused the Data Breach Affecting the University System of Georgia?

The University System of Georgia data breach was only recently announced, and more information is expected in the near future. However, a USG representative issued a statement to several news outlets elaborating on previous statements made back in June 2023. According to these sources, the breach occurred as a result of a vulnerability in MOVEit, which is a popular file-transfer application created by Progress Software.

Back in May 2023, Progress Software announced that MOVEit contained a previously unknown and critical vulnerability. This vulnerability allowed unauthorized parties to access MOVEit servers

After learning that sensitive consumer data was accessible to an unauthorized party, the University System of Georgia 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, Social Security number, address, email address, phone number, salary and benefit information, and other personally identifiable information.

On September 3, 2023, the University System of Georgia 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 University System of Georgia

Based in Atlanta, Georgia, the University System of Georgia Board of Regents is the governing authority of the public institutions of higher education across the state. The USG is the sixth largest university system in the United States, with approximately 333,507 students enrolled in 26 colleges and universities, including the University of Georgia. The University System of Georgia employs more than 754 people and generates approximately $304 million in annual revenue.