New Jersey student data for sale on dark web

💻 New Jersey City University reported a data breach that occurred in June 2024

💻 Personal and financial data of students and staff was stolen

💻 This data was published on the dark web to be sold

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Highly sensitive personal and financial data of New Jersey City University students and staff has been published on the dark web.

This data is now being offered to the highest bidder and could be used by malicious actors to commit identity theft and more.

The Jersey Journal was the first to publish screenshots of the data on the dark web, including the names of students and staff, Social Security numbers and even photos of individual driver’s licenses.

Hackers gained access to NJCU’s computer system in early June, but the school didn’t begin notifying students and staff about the breach until a month later.

The organization behind the cyberattack demanded $700,000 in bitcoins. If they didn’t get it, they threatened to publish the personal data they had stolen.

It appears that Random was not paid and the hackers carried out their threat.

New Jersey City University is not very open

NJCU has nearly 6,000 students enrolled in undergraduate and graduate programs, as well as hundreds of staff members. It’s unclear how many of them had their data stolen.

School officials have been less than transparent about the data breach and have been slow to respond to the threat.

They declined to explain why they waited so long to announce the attack, saying only that they could not do so while their investigation into what happened was ongoing.

NJCU also promised to set up a hotline where students and staff could get more information and access credit monitoring, but they have not yet revealed the number to call.

They insist they have contracted with one of the major credit reporting agencies to help those affected, but have declined to disclose details.

How do I know if my data has been compromised?

✔ In addition to being informed by New Jersey City University, the United States Federal Trade Commission advises you to do the following:

✔ Track bills you need to pay and when they are due. If you are no longer receiving a bill, it could be a sign that someone has changed your billing address.

✔ Check your bills. Charges for things you didn’t buy can be a sign of identity theft. So can a new bill you weren’t expecting.

✔ Check your bank statement. Missed withdrawals may be a sign of identity theft.

✔ Obtain and review your credit reports. Accounts in your name that you don’t recognize may be a sign of identity theft.

Here’s how you can get your free credit reports.

What steps can I take if my data has been compromised?

According to the FTC:

✔ If the agencies responsible for disclosing your information offer you free credit monitoring, take advantage of it.

✔ Get your free credit reports at annualcreditreport.com. Check for accounts or charges you don’t recognize.

✔ Consider setting up a free credit freeze. A credit freeze makes it harder for people to open a new account in your name.

✔ If you do place a freeze, be prepared to take a few extra steps the next time you apply for a new credit card or cell phone – or any other service that requires a credit check.
If you decide not to freeze your credit, at least consider placing a fraud alert.

✔ Try to file your taxes as soon as possible, before a scammer does. Tax identity theft occurs when someone uses your Social Security number to get a tax refund or a job. Respond to IRS mail immediately.

✔ Don’t believe anyone who calls you and tells you that you will be arrested if you don’t pay your taxes or debts, even if they have part or all of your Social Security number, or if they say they work for the IRS.

✔ Continue to check your credit reports at annualcreditreport.com. You can view your reports weekly for free.

✔ You may want to consider creating an E-Verify account so you can lock your Social Security number at e-verify.gov/mye-verify.

E-Verify is an online system that allows employers to verify that you are eligible to work in the United States, while also allowing you to lock your Social Security number so that others cannot use it to get a job. It is managed by the United States Department of Homeland Security and the Social Security Administration. When someone tries to use a locked Social Security number to get a job, employers who use E-Verify must obtain more information from the person trying to use your Social Security number.

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