College of DuPage data security breach could affect 1,700 current, former employees

Personal and tax information for more than 1,700 current and former employees of the College of DuPage may have been impacted by a recent data security breach, officials at the Glen Ellyn school said Monday.

President Brian Caputo said officials believe it's unlikely the information contained in the 2018 W-2 forms of 1,755 current and former COD employees was obtained or used for fraudulent purposes.

"However, the responsibility to protect private information is taken very seriously," Caputo said in a statement. "Therefore, the college is notifying the affected individuals out of an abundance of caution."

As an added precaution, the college has arranged for credit monitoring and identity protection services to be provided for free to those impacted. The school also has implemented additional procedural safeguards to ensure the continued safety and protection of sensitive information, Caputo said.

The school launched an investigation immediately after discovering the potential breach.

"College of DuPage sincerely regrets this unfortunate incident and apologizes for any concern it may cause," Caputo said.