IDENTITY THEFT Colleges prime target for computer hackers

People ages 18-29 make the most reports of identity theft in the state.
COLUMBUS (AP) -- Colleges and universities are a prime target for electronic data thefts because of their wide use of names, addresses and Social Security numbers, experts say.
Ohio University has had three security breaches since April 23, and since February 2005, universities nationwide have accounted for almost 50 percent of computer data theft, according to the Privacy Rights Clearinghouse, a nonprofit consumer advocacy group in San Diego.
"The reason is simple. Colleges have a tendency to use information, like Social Security numbers, for student IDs," said Jay Foley, executive director of the Identity Theft Research Center, another San Diego nonprofit group.
Everyday tasks
Everyday tasks for college students -- filling out a form to get a parking pass, for example -- can require the use of a Social Security number, Foley said.
People ages 18-29 make the most reports of identity theft in Ohio and the nation, according to the Identity Theft Data Clearinghouse, a division of the Federal Trade Commission. Ohio ranks 29th in the nation in reports of identity theft.
In Ohio University's most recent database break-in, announced Thursday, hackers found the Social Security numbers, addresses and birth dates of more than 60,000 individuals treated at the school's Hudson Health Center.
The university uncovered the third break-in while investigating a previous one, in which hackers accessed a database containing the Social Security numbers of 137,000 alumni.
The university said it has been notifying all affected individuals by mail and e-mail. It has developed an informational Web site, www.ohio.edu/datasecurity/index.cfm, and has been working to tighten security, said Bill Sams, associate provost for information technology and chief information officer.
More vigilant
As data thefts at colleges and universities nationwide become more publicized, schools say they're becoming more vigilant. Some have stopped using Social Security numbers as student IDs.
The University of Cincinnati will assign students and employees new numbers to replace their Social Security numbers this fall. The University of Dayton is revamping its security and spreading the word about the dangers of data misuse.
Security issues also have touched Kent State, Miami and Cleveland State universities, as well as the Ohio State University Medical Center in the past year.
Some have been computer thefts or hacking, while in other cases personal information was accidentally posted online. Many of the schools are updating systems and urging those on campus to be careful when storing personal information.
So far, there have been few reports of fallout from information stolen from Ohio colleges. At Ohio University, about a dozen people have reported problems since the data breaches, but officials don't think the recent break-ins were to blame for most of them.
Experts recommend consumers who are increasingly faced with data exposures to check their credit reports annually for damaging errors or possible identity theft.