WSU Admits To Security Breach

Washington State University has agreed to pay up to $4.7 million to settle a lawsuit that came after a hard drive containing the personal information of more than a million people was stolen from a self-storage locker in 2017.  According to the Seattle Times in a settlement approved in King County Superior Court Thursday, the university agreed to pay up to $4.7 million in cash reimbursements, attorneys fees and administrative expenses.  In addition, the university will pay for two years of credit monitoring and insurance services and improve data security, according to the agreement.  The stolen hard drive contained social security numbers, addresses, contact information, career and health data, and college-admissions test scores.

WSU spokesman Phil Weiler said while the university disagrees with claims made in the lawsuit it decided that settling would be less expensive and time-consuming.

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