 | ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
Louisiana State University (LSU) has entered into an agreement with Equifax Consumer Services, Inc. to provide identity theft protection services for students, faculty, and staff. The agreement is the first of its kind designed to protect community members whose personal information could be impacted by a data breach.
Colleges and universities have made national headlines when data breaches occur in which university systems (desktop and laptop computers, departmental file servers, etc.) containing personal information are accessed by unauthorized individuals. This personal information – usually in the form of names and Social Security numbers – may potentially be exploited to perpetrate identity theft. The impact of these breaches can threaten both the stability and standing of the institution. That is why LSU, in addition to aggressive approaches to address computer security and data integrity on campus, took this next step – to protect those ultimately impacted by a data breach.
The agreement with Equifax allows current LSU students, faculty, and staff to take advantage of Equifax Credit WatchTM, an industry-leading credit monitoring product. For those who choose to enroll, the package offers a free Equifax Credit Report™, $2,500 in identity theft insurance, and most importantly, daily credit monitoring from Equifax. Equifax Credit Watch alerts consumers to key changes to their Equifax credit file, such as an unusual increase in balance or any new credit opened – both early signs of potential identity theft. Members can then quickly investigate suspicious activity, and take immediate action if unapproved activity has occurred. LSU is covering the costs of this program for current (and incoming) students, faculty, and staff at LSU, Hebert Law Center and LSU AgCenter. The agreement has provisions to facilitate the remaining campuses of the LSU system to enroll as well.
“The problem of breaches of personal information is very acute at this moment across the country, especially in higher education, and by taking this innovative approach LSU is working to be proactive in protecting the institution by protecting our community members,” said Harold Silverman, LSU incoming interim provost. He went on to point out that by being the first in the nation to take this additional, pioneering approach of protecting its community members, LSU is demonstrating growing leadership in information technology policy and security practices.
LSU has aggressive efforts underway to address information technology security and information integrity. The University is actively tightening its network and infrastructure security with new policies, processes, and tools to monitor and remedy security shortcomings. LSU has entered into software licensing agreements to make the latest and most secure operating systems and programs freely and ubiquitously available throughout its campus community via its online software distributor, TigerWare. LSU also is working to eliminate the use of Social Security numbers as identifiers in its information systems. The University has developed processes for analyzing security incidents and taking appropriate steps to notify any who might be impacted by those incidents. The announcement of the agreement with Equifax provides an added layer of protection for LSU, its students and employees.
“LSU has taken a leadership position in empowering its students, employees and affiliates to safeguard against a growing problem on university campuses and beyond,” said Steve Ely, group executive, Personal Solutions, Equifax. “Equifax is excited to be working with LSU to launch this program designed to educate LSU community members on the importance of protecting their credit and future financial health.”
“LSU is making great strides in securing its information technology infrastructure and data repositories, but this new agreement gives us a way to proactively protect our community while we undertake the massive job of securing our environment,” said Brian D. Voss, LSU’s Chief Information Officer.
This is especially important as data breaches are not limited to higher education. Any organization that maintain an individual’s personal information is a potential source for a breach of that information. “By taking this additional step LSU is protecting its community from potential impacts of breaches that occur anywhere their data might be,” said Brian T. Nichols, LSU’s Chief IT Security & Policy Officer in the Office of the CIO. Nichols heads LSU’s IT Policy & Security function, and in addition to administering this program, is responsible for policy and physical initiatives designed to thwart computer hackers.
The agreement with Equifax will work much like LSU’s software licensing programs, providing a tool to which every affiliate can avail themselves, but leaving the choice to do so to the individual. As a result, LSU will transmit no personal information about its affiliates to Equifax, but instead widely publicize the agreement, encourage people to review it and sign up, and then authenticate interested individuals as members of the LSU community before “handing them off” to Equifax to enroll in the program themselves at no cost to them.
Officials at LSU and Equifax also are looking at extending a different version of the program to all LSU alumni worldwide, offering them a chance to sign up for similar Equifax products. Alumni would pay for the product themselves, but would receive a special ‘LSU Affiliate” discounted rate. Details of such a program will be announced soon.
About LSU:
LSU is the flagship institution of the state of Louisiana and is one of only 25 universities nationwide holding both land-grant and sea-grant status. Since 1860, LSU has served the people of Louisiana, the region, the nation, and the world through extensive, multipurpose programs encompassing instruction, research, and public service. http://www.lsu.edu
About Equifax (www.equifax.com)
Equifax Inc. is a global leader in information technology that enables and secures global commerce with consumers and businesses. We are one of the largest sources of consumer and commercial data. Utilizing our databases, advanced analytics and proprietary enabling technology, we provide real-time answers for our customers. This innovative ability to transform information into intelligence is valued by customers across a wide range of industries and markets. Headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia, Equifax employs approximately 4,700 people in 13 countries throughout North America, Latin America and Europe. Equifax was founded 107 years ago, and today is a member of Standard & Poor’s (S&P) 500® Index. Our common stock is traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol EFX.
|