MTSU officials said today an unknown person accessed a computer containing the names and Social Security numbers of about 1,500 past and current students.
A professor left the university computer unattended in the mass communication department about two weeks ago and an unidentified person is believed to have used the machine to send spam e-mails, MTSU spokesman Tom Tozer told The Daily News Journal.
"Although we have discovered that it was technically possible to access this file containing your personal information, we have no evidence that this file was actually accessed by anyone," a letter from the university to those affected stated. "We are notifying you simply as a precaution."
Tozer said computer analysts with the university thoroughly examined the computer, looking for signs of wrongdoing.
Past and current students had personal information on the computer, but none have reported identity theft related to the incident, the spokesman added.
"By now or this weekend, everyone, whose information was on the computer, will have received notification from the university," Tozer said.