The possible data breach discovery was made by the UNLV Office of Information Technology during a maintenance check on a computer in the school’s Controller’s Office. The check revealed that an unauthorized person might have accessed names and social security numbers of employees in 2008.
“Though unauthorized access has not been confirmed, the Office of Information Technology continuously works to ensure sensitive data are protected and has taken steps to notify those potentially affected”, UNLV said in a statement.
The computer contained information from employees, including student employees, who participated in a computer-purchasing loan program. Tony Allen, a UNLV spokesman, told the Las Vegas Sun newspaper that no financial information, such as bank account numbers, was included.
Allen told the newspaper that school officials are working on how to prevent similar data breaches, including reviewing information security policies and increasing employee training.
Located on a 332-acre campus in southern Nevada, UNLV currently has 28,000 students and 3,300 faculty and staff.