OHIO UPDATED INFORMATION ON COMPUTERS STOLEN FROM KENT STATE UNIVERSITYcantonrep.comKSU: Data on 103,000 stolen
Saturday, September 10, 2005 By Robert Wang Repository staff writer

If you’re a Kent State University student, graduate or professor, you may be at greater risk for identity theft.

University officials said Friday that two computers stolen from two offices on the Kent campus last month contained the names and Social Security numbers of virtually every student and instructor since 2002, and every graduate since 1988.

Students at the Kent State Stark Campus weren’t sure what to make of the news.

“Social Security numbers are a big deal if they’re stolen,” said Hartville resident Katie Sheets, 20. But, “if they have so many of them, what are the chances they’re going to use mine?”

“I find it interesting they would have all of that (information) on two computers,” said Kent Stark history professor Leslie Heaphy. “That’s a bothersome thought, but what are you going to do?”

The 103,000 people whose personal information is at risk could have attended or taught at any of Kent State’s eight campuses. It does not include people who dropped out before 2002 or applicants for admission.

“I’m distressed about it. I’m not happy,” said Greg Seibert, Kent State’s director of security. “I’ll be pushing for even stronger measures to be taken, some of which will step on toes.”

Although personal data is at risk, Seibert said the thief or thieves would need the right password to log into the computers.

He said the computers also had the addresses, phone numbers, list of courses taken and grades of anyone who’s taken at least one class since 2002 as well as people who registered for fall classes this year before Aug. 8. The files did not contain any financial information, including credit-card numbers, Seibert said.

The university informed roughly 60,000 of the affected people about the security breach by e-mail Friday. He said the university’s vice presidents will decide next week how to notify those for which the university does not have e-mail addresses.

The two desktop computers were stolen along with two other computers on Aug. 21 at 12:41 p.m. from deans’ offices at Taylor Hall. Someone forced open the door to one office, and apparently got the keys to the second office. No arrests have been made yet, said Seibert, who added that officials believe the computers were stolen to be resold — not for the information they contained.

The burglary came two months after someone stole a Kent State laptop computer with names and Social Security numbers of up to 1,400 past and current employees from an employee’s locked vehicle.

Seibert said he hasn’t heard any report of identity theft from the two incidents.

The Associated Press contributed to this report