Stephen F. Austin State University

We are writing to provide an update on the cyber incident SFA has been investigating and addressing.

As you know, our Information Technology Services professionals have been working diligently since Monday, June 12, to restore operations and strengthen security. We're pleased to report that as of June 22, all primary systems were restored, and we returned to normal operations. The ITS team continues to restore ancillary systems and is closely monitoring our systems.

Although our investigation of this incident remains ongoing, we have determined that the unauthorized actor(s) behind this incident acquired certain files from our systems. Our initial evaluation shows the files that were taken primarily consist of non-sensitive data; however, we have identified certain files with personal information, including approximately 100 individuals’ government-issued identification numbers and approximately 8,600 counseling records. At this time, we have no indication that central information, such as payroll, bank account or student financial data, has been impacted.

We are continuing to review the affected files to identify individuals whose information is included and will contact those individuals directly. In the meantime, and as a general best practice, we encourage students and employees to take steps such as the following to help protect their personal information:

• Be Wary of Suspicious Emails or Communications: Stay vigilant against phishing attempts and suspicious emails or messages. Do not click on any links or provide information unless you are certain of the source’s authenticity.
• Monitor Your Accounts: Regularly review your bank statements, credit reports and insurance statements for any unusual activity. If you notice anything suspicious, promptly report it to your financial institutions.
• Set Fraud Alerts and Credit Freezes: Consider placing fraud alerts or credit freezes with major credit bureaus. This will add an extra layer of security and make it harder for anyone to open new accounts using your information.

Additional information regarding steps you can take to protect your information is available at gosfa.com/outage.

We appreciate your continued patience and understanding as we continue to address this incident.