Hacker compromises Lasell College computer network

By Daniel Peleschuk, Globe Correspondent

Someone hacked into the Lasell College computer network, accessing data that contains personal information, including the names and Social Security numbers of current and former students, faculty, staff, and alumni..

Although there has been no confirmed misuse of the data, Lasell officials said they had sent a cautionary e-mail to the 20,000 people whose names appeared in the databases that were accessed.

The hacker is suspected to be an employee in the school's Department of Information Technology.

University officials said they first discovered the suspicious activity on Feb. 6 and promptly began an investigation. They said they notified local law enforcement authorities and attorneys general and other officials in states where the affected individuals reside.

"We deeply regret this situation and are taking steps to investigate what has happened and to put measures in place to improve the protection of our data and to limit the data we keep to what we really need," Deborah Gelch, the college's chief information officer, said in a statement.

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