Notice of Data Security Incident

August 1, 2020
RE: Notice of Data Security Incident

We are writing to inform you about a data security incident that may have involved your personal information. Bay Path University takes the protection and proper use of your information very seriously, and we value our relationships with our donors. Although no sensitive information was involved, out of an abundance of caution we want you to be aware of the incident and know that we are taking every precaution.

We were notified by our third-party service provider that they successfully prevented a cybercriminal attack that involved our donor database. However, prior to locking the cybercriminal out, some of our files containing your personal information were obtained. It is important to note that the cybercriminal did not access your credit card information, bank account information, or your social security number. We have determined that the file accessed may have contained your contact information, demographic information, publicly-available wealth information, and Bay Path education history. Based on the nature of the incident, their research, and third party (including law enforcement) investigation, we have no reason to believe that any data went beyond the cybercriminal, was or will be misused, or will be disseminated or otherwise made available publicly.

Ensuring the safety of your data is of the utmost importance to us. As part of their ongoing efforts to help prevent something like this from happening in the future, our third-party service provider has already implemented several changes that will protect your data from any subsequent incidents. We have made it clear to our vendor that we expect to receive additional information regarding the incident and what additional security practices are being put into place.

Because of the type of data taken and the belief that it will not go past the cybercriminal, we do not anticipate the need for further action on your part. As a best practice, we recommend you remain vigilant and promptly report any suspicious activity or suspected identity theft to us and to the proper law enforcement authorities.

We sincerely apologize for this incident and regret any inconvenience it may cause you. Should you have any further questions or concerns regarding this matter, please do not hesitate to contact the Bay Path University Development Office at development@baypath.edu or (413) 565-1396.