A desktop computer stolen from Virginia Commonwealth University may have exposed the Social Security numbers of more than 17,000 current and former students. As a result, the university is offering a year of free ID theft insurance to those affected.
The Richmond, Va.-based university quit using Social Security numbers as student identifiers two years ago, but the stolen computer contained student names and test scores dating back to 2005. Police know who stole the computer but could not recover it. The computer was taken for personal use, then disposed of.