Clearview Public Schools has experienced a security breach involving applicants to division jobs through the website Indeed.com.
The school division addressed the security breach in a statement this past Friday.
“We sincerely apologize for the breach in privacy and for those who have trusted us with their information,” said Scot Leys, Clearview Public Schools superintendent.
“We take privacy seriously and will be doing everything in our power to respond to this situation, including investigation into the cause of the breach to minimize the risk of a similar event in the future. We will also respond legally if and when that becomes possible. If further information becomes available we will share that as well.”
Between Dec. 13 and Dec. 15, a third-party “illegally accessed” the Clearview Public Schools’ account on the Indeed.com website, the division said in the statement.
Clearview uses Indeed.com as a recruitment tool for support staff, so information on current and potential support staff who used the website in their application for a position was accessed.
Based on the investigation, the third-party may have collected information of individuals including the individuals’ personal and private information contained in resumes and applications. The information accessed may include an individual’s name, contact information, work history, or other such information provided to a potential employer.
The third-party used the Indeed.com account to communicate to applicants on possible job opportunities with a link to collect private information or engage in illegal acts, said Clearview Public Schools.
“The third-party may use the private and personal information collected to engage in malicious activities,” the division said in its statement.
“As part of the breach, the third-party that accessed the Indeed.com account deleted the history of applicants through the Indeed.com website, preventing full knowledge of all impacted by this privacy breach.
“Clearview Public Schools is reviewing applications stored in our human services database to identify individuals that may be impacted by the breach in private information. Clearview has available information to 2019 and estimates that over 800 individuals may be impacted, with the actual number of those impacted unknown due to the absence of information.”
Clearview has also reached out to Indeed.com for assistance on this matter.
Leys said Clearview would like to caution individuals who may be impacted by the breach.
“If you are contacted by Clearview Public Schools relating to a suspicious job opportunity or you receive communications requesting any personal information through telephone, e-mail, or an individual’s Indeed.com account, we advise you to not click on any links or provide any personal information,” said Leys.
sean.mcintosh@reddeeradvocate.com
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