Peninsula College staff follows up on cyber attack

PORT ANGELES — Peninsula College has received more information about the number of students, employees and retirees whose personally identifiable information may have been exposed by a third-party cybersecurity incident.

Earlier this summer, filesharing application MOVEit Transfer used by hundreds of businesses and organizations worldwide was impacted by a cybersecurity incident.

The college does not use the MOVEit software, although two of the college’s vendors do: NSC and TIAA.

One Peninsula College student was impacted by the National Student Clearinghouse (NSC) MoveIt incident, the college said in a press release, which added that the student has been notified by the college and NSC and that NSC is offering to provide two years of free credit monitoring services for the student.

The State Board for Community and Technical Colleges (SBCTC) — the governing state agency that oversees all 34 colleges across the state — is coordinating the response for employees and retirees who may have been impacted if their personally identifiable information was potentially exposed by PBI, a third-party vendor to Teachers Insurance and Annuity Association (TIAA).

The SBCTC notified 12,400 employees and retirees across the state’s college system; PBI is offering to provide two years of free credit monitoring services to those individuals.

A college task force working closely with the state attorney general’s office researched TIAA’s role and determined the college was two steps removed from the incident through PBI and that SBCTC would take the lead. They informed the college and community with the information on hand.

The college contracts with NSC on a number of endeavors, including enrollment, transcript ordering and degree verification services as well as student loan reporting requirements. The National Student Clearinghouse is a nonprofit organization that provides educational reporting, data exchange and verification services to more than 3,600 colleges and universities nationwide. Personally identifiable information and student education records are provided to NSC as part of this work.

TIAA offers financial services to employees across the country working in academic, research, medical, government and cultural fields. Peninsula College provides TIAA with personally identifiable information of employees who use TIAA’s services. Data transferred from PC to TIAA was not compromised as part of the incident, although the organization has indicated that Pension Benefit Information, LLC, one of its vendors, has been impacted.

College staff advise that all should continue monitoring their personal information closely. They urge obtaining a free annual credit report from each major credit reporting company, namely Experian, Equifax and TransUnion. In case of any concerns regarding identity theft, people may also wish to consider contacting the Federal Trade Commission through their website at https://www.ftc.gov or https://consumer.ftc.gov/features/identity-theft.

More in News

The ferry MV Coho backs into its landing after returning to Port Angeles on Tuesday following annual dry dock and maintenance in Anacortes. During the maintenance period, extensive work was performed on the dock, including replacement of a wing wall used to steer and secure the vessel during loading and unloading of cars and passengers. The ferry is scheduled to resume daily service between Port Angeles and Victoria on Thursday. (Keith Thorpe/Peninsula Daily News)
Coho returns

The ferry MV Coho backs into its landing after returning to Port… Continue reading

Building association calls for city to cease utility charges

Association says charges unconstitutional

Jefferson Land Trust considering conservation burial ground

Funds from plot sales could fund habitat improvements

Port Angeles artist Bob Stokes sits in his studio and music venue on Wednesday. (Keith Thorpe/Peninsula Daily News)
Art community mourns Bob Stokes’ passing

Legacy includes statues, concerts, gatherings

Clallam PUD
Cindy Kimble, Clallam PUD’s customer and community outreach programs coordinator, can help residents navigate the utility district’s revamped low-income energy assistance program.
Clallam PUD hires staff to help low-income customers

Clallam County Public Utility District has overhauled its low-income energy… Continue reading

Jen Colmore, left, and June Nichols of the Sequim Food Bank serve a sample of chili to Monica Dixon of Sequim during Saturday’s Community Chili Cookoff at the Sequim Boys & Girls Club. The event, organized by the club and Boy Scout Troop 90, showcased the culinary skills of six community organizations with each group receiving a share of the proceeds and the winner taking a $500 prize. The food bank’s chili recipe took top honors in the competition. (Keith Thorpe/Peninsula Daily News)
Chili cookoff

Jen Colmore, left, and June Nichols of the Sequim Food Bank serve… Continue reading

Port Townsend to test sewer system with smoke, dye

The city of Port Townsend will test its sewer… Continue reading

JUMP! Playground to close for renovations

Jefferson County Parks and Recreation will close the JUMP! Playground… Continue reading

Barcy Fisher, left, and Patti Buckland have been selected as the 2024 Marrowstone Island Citizens of the Year.
Fisher, Buckland honored as Marrowstone Island citizens of year

Barcy Fisher and Patty Buckland were named Marrowstone Island’s 2024… Continue reading

About 800 people from Jefferson and Clallam counties spill out from the steps of the Jefferson County Courthouse onto Jefferson Street in Port Townsend on Monday to take part in a National Day of Protest organized by the 50501 Movement, which stands for “50 protests, 50 states, 1 movement.” (Steve Mullensky/for Peninsula Daily News)
Hundreds protest actions of Trump administration

Activists cite USAID, worry about Treasury, impacts of immigration

Peninsula to welcome Canadian visitors

Celebration of Coho passengers planned

Fish barrier removal to impact highway traffic

Portions of roadway to have long-term closures