Third-party vendor breach causes costly security updates at Fargo Public Schools

Exploit: Unauthorized database access
Fargo Public Schools: Public school district serving students in Fargo, North Dakota

Risk to Small Business: 1.888 = Severe: An expansive data breach at a third-party vendor compromised students’ personally identifiable information. The breach is attributed to Pearson, but the cost of containment and restoration will fall squarely on the district’s shoulders. Consequently, the district will endure the cost of updating its data privacy protocols and the increased public and media scrutiny that often accompany a data breach.

Individual Risk: 2.285 = Severe: Hackers accessed students names, birthdates, and student ID numbers. However, Social Security numbers or payment information were not compromised. Unfortunately, even small amounts of personal information can be used to enact future identity or cybercrimes. Therefore, those impacted by the breach should enroll in the provided identity monitoring services while also being aware that their information could be used against them in future phishing or other cyber-attacks.

Customers Impacted: Unknown
How it Could Affect Your Customers’ Business: Today’s business environment often depends on third-party partnerships that can increase an organization’s capabilities. However, when it comes to data privacy, these relationships can also create vulnerabilities, so cybersecurity protocols need to be a top priority when entering into these relationships. Moreover, having customer protection services in place can help mitigate the risks of a data privacy event negatively impacting your customers.

Risk Levels:

1 - 1.5 = Extreme Risk
1.51 - 2.49 = Severe Risk
2.5 - 3 = Moderate Risk

*The risk score is calculated using a formula that considers a wide range of factors related to the assessed breach.