What happened in the Illuminate Education data breach?

In 2021, hackers breached Illuminate Education's systems, compromising the sensitive data of over 10 million students.

Why was the Illuminate Education lawsuit dismissed?

The Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals dismissed the lawsuit, stating victims did not demonstrate concrete harm or a credible threat of identity theft.

What action is the FTC taking against Illuminate Education?

The FTC is requiring Illuminate Education to implement a comprehensive security program, delete unused data, and report future breaches.

Home / Technology / Millions of Students' Data Breached, Victims Denied Justice

Millions of Students' Data Breached, Victims Denied Justice

12 Dec

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Summary

Ninth Circuit dismissed a lawsuit, citing no concrete harm from data theft.
Illuminate Education faces FTC action over a 2021 data breach affecting millions.
Three state attorneys general have penalized the company for security failures.

Millions of Students' Data Breached, Victims Denied Justice

Illuminate Education faces significant regulatory action following a massive 2021 data breach affecting over 10 million students. The Federal Trade Commission has initiated measures, requiring the company to implement a comprehensive security program and report future breaches. This action follows penalties and security mandates from three state attorneys general, who also alleged misleading statements about cybersecurity safeguards.

Despite the widespread compromise of sensitive student data, including grades and medical records, a federal appeals court dismissed a class-action lawsuit filed by victims. The Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that the plaintiffs lacked standing, as they failed to demonstrate actual damage or a substantial risk of future identity theft, noting no reported fraud since the breach.