Roosevelt University Hit with Class Action Over Data Breach Disclosed in June 2023

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Roosevelt University faces a proposed class action in the wake of a data breach the Chicago-based private school announced last month.

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According to the 38-page lawsuit, Roosevelt discovered on May 1 of this year that an unauthorized individual hacked its computer network and gained access to information relating to the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). The filing specifies that stolen data includes the names, addresses, Social Security numbers and driver’s license numbers of current and former students and applicants. 

The complaint alleges that the cyberattack, which Roosevelt sent affected individuals notice of on June 28, was a direct result of the university’s negligent failure to implement basic data security practices in line with industry standards. Per the case, Roosevelt failed to properly monitor its network for signs of intrusion, leaving the unencrypted information in its systems vulnerable to an attack.

“Roosevelt had obligations created by contract, industry standards, common law, and representations made to Plaintiff and Class Members to keep [their] Private Information confidential and to protect it from unauthorized access and disclosure,” the case reads. The complaint charges that given the frequency of cyberattacks in recent years, Roosevelt “knew or should have known” its obligation to adequately protect its network was “particularly important.”

Data breach victims now face serious ramifications and out-of-pocket expenses as they deal with a “significant risk of identity theft” and other fraudulent uses of their personal information, the lawsuit stresses. 

What’s more, Roosevelt has yet to offer affected individuals any assurance that their compromised data (or copies of such data) has been recovered or destroyed, the filing says. Impacted students and applicants also remain in the dark about whether the university has improved its data security practices to avoid falling victim to a future cyberattack, the case adds.

The lawsuit looks to represent anyone in the United States who had private information accessed and/or acquired by unauthorized individuals in the data breach announced by Roosevelt University, including all current and former students and applicants who were sent a data breach notice.

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