The FBI has launched an investigation regarding a computer hacker accessing the Social Security numbers and personal information of 22,396 current or former students at the University of Missouri-Columbia who also worked at one of the system"s four campuses in St. Louis, Kansas City, Rolla or Columbia in 2004. University officials said campus computer technicians confirmed a breach of a database last week by a user or users whose Internet accounts were traced to China and Australia.
The hacker obtained the information through a Web page used to make queries about the status of trouble reports to the university"s computer help desk, which is based in Columbia. The information had been compiled for a report, but the data had not been removed from the computer system. The university is contacting people affected by the latest breach and providing instructions on how to monitor their credit reports and other financial records for suspicious activity.