The University of Colorado at Boulder announced Friday that three computers in the Division of Continuing Education and Professional Studies were compromised, leaving nearly 10,000 people open to potential identity theft.
Bronson Hilliard, a spokesman for CU-Boulder, says one of the three computers had personal data, including names, Social Security numbers, addresses and grades, of about 9,000 students and about 500 instructors.
"The university and I are deeply troubled that this compromise occurred despite efforts under way across campus to address computer security," stated Chancellor G.P. "Bud" Peterson in a news release. "We will continue and strengthen our security efforts and hold our departments accountable for their success."
Hilliard says they do not believe the data has been accessed, but CU is in the process of contacting the affected students and instructors by mail.
Officials say students and instructors who were involved in the Division of Continuing Education and Professional Studies between 1997 and 2003 were affected.
CU says a computer forensics firm has been hired to conduct an analysis.