Southern Arkansas University Tech Data Breach Exposes SSNs

In October 2024, Southern Arkansas University Tech (SAU Tech), a two-year public college in Camden, Arkansas, discovered suspicious activity on its computer systems. The college quickly initiated its incident response protocols and brought in independent cybersecurity specialists to investigate.

An investigation revealed that an unauthorized user had gained access to SAU Tech’s systems and may have copied files containing sensitive personal information while present on the network.

On March 18, 2025, after a thorough review of the impacted data, SAU Tech determined that the breach affected student and employee personal information. The types of information exposed included names and some combination of addresses, Social Security numbers, driver’s license numbers, financial information, and limited health information.

The breach was officially disclosed to the Maine Attorney General’s office on May 1, 2025. SAU Tech notified affected consumers in writing on April 29, 2025.

The severity of this breach is heightened by the involvement of the RansomHub ransomware group, which claimed responsibility for the attack. The group alleges it obtained 252 GB of SAU Tech’s data and threatened to publish it within a week on the Tor network, significantly increasing the risk that sensitive information could be misused or publicly exposed.

Southern Arkansas University Tech's response

For individuals whose information may have been compromised, SAU Tech is offering identity protection services through IDX. This service provides assistance in resolving issues if identity theft occurs.

The college also encourages everyone to remain vigilant by monitoring their financial accounts and credit reports for suspicious activity.

The Federal Trade Commission provides further guidance on identity theft protection and instructions for placing fraud alerts or security freezes on credit files at identitytheft.gov.

If you believe your information may have been affected by this incident, you can call 1-800-939-4170, Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Eastern Time. Additional details, including the official notice to consumers, are available on the SAU Tech website.

Given the nature of the breach—a ransomware attack by a known cybercriminal group—affected individuals should take these recommendations seriously. Prompt action can help reduce the risk of identity theft or fraud.

More information about the college can be found on the official SAU Tech website.