STUDENT INFO COMPROMISED IN LARGE DATA BREACH
Personal identifying information about students from around Florida who were eligible for Bright Futures scholarships several years ago – including social security numbers in some cases – has been either stolen or accidentally released, state officials said Wednesday. The 200,000 records from 2005-2007 were part of an “information security breach” reported by Northwest Florida State College in Niceville. The Department of Education said Wednesday that the breach also involved more than 3,000 employee records from the school, some of which contained confidential financial records and about 76,000 student records from the college. Several agencies were investigating and trying to determine the extent of the breach and who may have gotten access to the information. “While some of the contact information is dated, we will be trying to reach every student whose records may have been captured,” said Florida College System Chancellor Randy Hanna.
MACK TOPS NELSON IN QUARTER, BUT NELSON HAS MONEY LEAD
Both Florida U.S. Senate candidates are reporting what they raised in the third quarter, which ended Sept. 30, with U.S. Rep. Connie Mack, the Republican topping Democratic incumbent U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson in the period but still far behind him in overall fundraising. Mack’s campaign said Wednesday that it will report raising $2.7 million, the campaign’s highest quarter to date. Nelson’s campaign said it will report bringing in $2.3 million. The totals are much farther apart. Nelson has raised $16.2 million overall while Mack has raised about $6 million. The announcements come ahead of the Oct. 15 reporting deadline.
