Nelson University Data Breach Compromises Sensitive Data of Students

Nelson University, a private Christian university in Waxahachie, Texas, disclosed a data breach that resulted from a ransomware attack between March 21, 2025, and April 6, 2025.

On April 16, 2025, about 10 days after the attack window ended, a ransomware group known as Qilin posted on the dark web, claiming it had obtained data belonging to the university.

The types of personal information exposed in the breach may have included names, addresses, dates of birth and Social Security numbers.

The breach was reported to the California Attorney General, the Indiana Attorney General, the Massachusetts Attorney General, and the Vermont Attorney General starting on June 15, 2026. A total number of 37,313 individuals were affected by the breach.

Nelson University's response to the breach

Nelson University set up a dedicated, confidential toll-free response line staffed with professionals who are familiar with the incident and can advise consumers on how to guard against misuse of their information. The response line is available from 9 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. Eastern time, Monday through Friday, excluding holidays.

The university offered credit monitoring services to affected individuals. The university also provided detailed guidance on placing a security freeze.