Social Security info leaked at university

MADISON, Wis., Jan. 17 (UPI) -- Information technology employees said University of Wisconsin-Madison workers had their Social Security numbers exposed on a public Web site.

The school ID numbers of a small number of university employees who purchased goods at the school's technology store were discovered online in late November, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reported Wednesday. University of Wisconsin-Madison Davidson of Information Technology spokesman Brian Rust said about 205 of the ID numbers had been derived from Social Security numbers.

The information leak at University of Wisconsin-Madison added to the recent occurrence of similar events in connection to state officials accused of exposing private information of individuals to the public.

The states or contracted companies involved in the mailings reportedly agreed to provide free credit protection to affected people.

Rust said he believed the private information wasn't accessed by anyone while it was available.

Individuals involved in the recent slip-up weren't offered free credit protection but were sent letters in January with credit safety advice and an explanation of what happened, Russ said in the Journal Sentinel report.