Monroe University confirmed that unauthorized access to its computer systems in December 2024 resulted in the compromise of the personal data and health information of around 320,973 individuals.
Incident Details
The University detected the cyberattack on December 23, 2024 and took action immediately to secure its systems to stop continuing unauthorized access. It started an investigation to find out the nature and extent of the unauthorized activity.
Monroe University’s security notice states an unauthorized party accessed its computer systems from December 9, 2024 through December 23, 2024 and acquired copies of files on its network containing personal information. The university reviewed the files and, on September 30, 2025, determined that they contained personal information for certain individuals.
The data elements potentially compromised varied by individual and may have included name, date of birth, Social Security number, driver’s license number, passport number, government identification number, medical information, health insurance information, electronic account or email username and password, financial account information, and student data.
Monroe University reported that there is no evidence that the information involved in this incident has been used for identity theft or fraud. Nevertheless, Monroe University began mailing written notifications to individuals whose personal information was contained in the files on January 2, 2026.
The notice advised individuals to monitor account statements and credit reports for signs of fraudulent activity and to report suspected identity theft to appropriate law enforcement authorities, including police and state attorney general offices. It seems that no privacy monitoring service was provided to affected individuals.
Hackers often target universities and healthcare organizations because of the large amounts of sensitive data they can gain access to. Making sure that HIPAA-covered entities are compliant with the regulations helps to keep them protected from cyberattacks. Other universities that recently encountered cyberattacks are Columbia and Harvard.