Hack of Florida Department of Education exposes student Social Security numbers
Katherine oversees editorial operations across all six brands. Before joining The Meridan Group, she spent 14 years at the Minneapolis Star Tribune, where she led the metro desk through its digital transformation. She holds a Master's in Journalism from Northwestern's Medill School.
More from Katherine →
Hackers gained unauthorized access to Florida’s student financial aid website, compromising personal information — including Social Security numbers — the Florida Department of Education confirmed.Department staff discovered the breach on Oct. 19, tracing the intrusion to its financial aid website. Officials said they immediately activated cybersecurity response protocols to stop the unauthorized activity, contain the incident, and secure their systemThe department says current financial aid disbursements, tuition payments, scholarships, grants and student loan eligibility will not be affected by the breach.FLDOE has notified the Office of the Attorney General, as required under Florida law. The department is also working alongside the Florida Digital Service and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement as part of its ongoing response.The department is urging anyone who may have been affected to take immediate steps to protect their identity and finances. FLDOE recommends monitoring f