LifeLock

The education sector was responsible for one-third of all reported data breaches between January 2005 and October 2008, with universities to blame for 79% of those, according to analysis by J. Campana and Associates LLC.

Given the number of university students and employees nationwide, it’s clear that millions of us are at risk of identity theft because of these security lapses.

Educational Security Incidents provided the following information about the seven data breaches that affected more than 50,000 students and employees in March.

• Solano Community College, Cal.
  Unknown number affected
  Improper file disposal
  Report containing names, addresses and Social Security numbers of 2008 graduates not shredded, dumped as scrap paper.
• Huron University College, Ontario
  25,000 affected
  Server breached
  Names, student ID numbers, birthdates of resident students (1999-present), applicants (1992-2008) and registered students (2004-present) possibly accessed.
• University of West Georgia
  1,300 affected
  Stolen laptop
  Laptop contained names, addresses, phone numbers and Social Security numbers of students and faculty.
• Penn State University
  1,000 affected
  Computer virus
  Infected computer stored names, Social Security numbers of employees in 2000.
• University of Toledo, Ohio
  24,450 affected
  Stolen computer
  Stolen computer contained directory, educational information of 24,000 students; names, Social Security numbers, birthdates of 450 faculty members stolen.
• Western Oklahoma State College
  1,500 affected
  Server breached
  Server controlled access to names, Social Security numbers, other personal information of campus library users 2004 to present.
• University of Massachusetts
  16 affected
  Employee fraud
  Illegal access to students’ Facebook accounts; nude photos stolen.