Criminals broke into a Florida student financial aid website, and the personal information of as many as 4.9 million people, including Social Security numbers, may have been exposed, the Florida Department of Education (FLDOE) said Thursday.
The department said staff learned on Oct. 19 that unauthorized individuals had accessed the Florida Student Financial Aid website. That is 10 days before FLDOE’s public statement. Officials confirmed that Social Security numbers were among the compromised data but did not specify what other personal information may have been exposed.
FLDOE said the breach appears limited to that website. After detecting the intrusion, the department said it activated its cybersecurity response protocols, contained the activity, secured its systems, and notified the Florida Attorney General’s Office. It is working with the Florida Digital Service and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, and the incident remains under criminal investigation.
Financial aid not affected, officials say
FLDOE said current financial aid is not at risk. The department said the breach will not delay aid disbursements or FLDOE tuition payments and will not affect eligibility for scholarships, grants, or student loans. Some department websites and online services may see temporary disruptions while officials restore full functionality.
What affected people should do
FLDOE recommends monitoring financial and online accounts for suspicious activity and regularly reviewing account statements and credit reports. It also suggests considering a fraud alert or credit freeze with the major credit bureaus.
Free credit reports are available at AnnualCreditReport.com. The Federal Trade Commission’s IdentityTheft.gov offers guidance on responding to a data breach. Questions can go to databreach@fldoe.org.
The breach renews a familiar question about how much sensitive personal data government agencies collect and how well they protect it. FLDOE said details could change as the investigation continues, and it is posting updates on its data breach information page.
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