KU creates Web site to teach students about identity theft

Spurred into action by a hacker who last week stole personal information on its international students, Kansas University launched a Web site Wednesday that outlines how students can fend off identity theft.

The site, www.security.ku.edu, is part of a security awareness campaign KU has been working on since last fall, said Marilu Goodyear, vice provost for information services.

“This topic became a bit hotter at KU this past week, so we are providing these resources to arm the KU community with the tools they need to protect themselves,” she said.

The launch of the Web site was announced at the weekly Student Senate meeting, and a list of tips for “cyber self-defense” was distributed.

“We’re only as secure as the least secure machine on the network,” Goodyear said.

Senators had few questions about the campaign, and KU officials had little investigative information to share.

Still waiting for information from the FBI, the federal Immigration and Naturalization Service has yet to flag the identities, although International Student Services should be notified of any travel abroad by those whose information was stolen, said Joe Potts, ISS director.

Jeff Lanza, an FBI spokesman, said Wednesday he had no new developments to report in the investigation.

KU officials discovered Jan. 22 that someone had downloaded a file with Social Security numbers and passport numbers of about 1,450 international students. KU was gathering the information as part of a new reporting system for the INS.