Blackbaud Data Incident:
Frequently Asked Questions
What happened?
On July 16, 2020, the TSC Alliance’s third-party vendor, Blackbaud, informed us that, in May 2020, Blackbaud suffered a ransomware attack, which resulted in potential unauthorized access to certain information maintained by Blackbaud. Upon learning of this event, we immediately commenced an investigation to determine what, if any, TSC Alliance data was impacted. Blackbaud informed us Social Security numbers, bank account information, and payment card information stored in encrypted fields were not impacted by this incident because Blackbaud had encrypted it prior to the incident. Please know we take this incident and the security of our information seriously.
Who is Blackbaud and do they have my personal information?
Blackbaud is an industry-leading cloud computing provider that offers customer relationship management and financial services tools, focusing on the non-profit sector. We use Blackbaud primarily for these services. While Blackbaud does store certain TSC Alliance information, we are currently working to confirm what, if any, of this information was impacted by Blackbaud’s ransomware event.
What information of mine was potentially accessed?
Blackbaud advised no credit card information was included in the impacted files, and that usernames, passwords and Social Security numbers stored in encrypted fields were not accessible to the unauthorized actor as this information was encrypted within Blackbaud’s system prior to the incident. The investigation determined the types of unencrypted information that may have been included on involved Blackbaud’s systems at the time of the incident include date of birth, contact information (including phone number, mailing address, and email address), and limited information relating to medical topics of interest about which individuals are comfortable speaking such as indications of someone diagnosed with TSC, attributes of TSC or parent experiences .
What are the TSC Alliance’s next steps?
In an abundance of caution, we immediately began an investigation with the assistance of subject matter specialists and performed a thorough review of the information stored within our Blackbaud records to determine the types of potentially impacted personal information and the individuals whose personal information was potentially affected. Our investigation to determine what information resided on Blackbaud’s system is ongoing, and we will notify individuals, as necessary if your information was impacted by this incident.
What is the TSC Alliance doing to prevent this from happening again?
The TSC Alliance is currently investigating the nature and scope of this incident and will work with Blackbaud to evaluate additional measures and safeguards to protect against this type of incident in the future. Additionally, Blackbaud reports it has taken all necessary steps to secure its data, including implementing additional security enhancements to its platform. Blackbaud notes these enhancements have been subject to rigorous third-party testing that affirm effectiveness against hacking attempts.
I heard of this event from another source, why is the information provided not the same?
The TSC Alliance is aware a significant number of independent schools, universities, and non-profit organizations were impacted by this event, and based on communications from Blackbaud, the type and amount of information potentially impacted varies by organization.
What steps should I take to help protect my information?
Monitor Your Accounts: In general, we encourage you to remain vigilant against incidents of identity theft and fraud, to review your account statements, and to monitor your credit reports for suspicious activity. Under U.S. law you are entitled to one free credit report annually from each of the three major credit reporting bureaus. To order your free credit report, visit www.annualcreditreport.com or call, toll-free, 1-877-322-8228. You may also contact the three major credit bureaus directly to request a free copy of your credit report.
You have the right to place a “security freeze” on your credit report, which will prohibit a consumer reporting agency from releasing information in your credit report without your express authorization. The security freeze is designed to prevent credit, loans, and services from being approved in your name without your consent. However, you should be aware that using a security freeze to take control over who gets access to the personal and financial information in your credit report may delay, interfere with, or prohibit the timely approval of any subsequent request or application you make regarding a new loan, credit, mortgage, or any other account involving the extension of credit. Pursuant to federal law, you cannot be charged to place or lift a security freeze on your credit report. Should you wish to place a security freeze, please contact the major consumer reporting agencies listed below:
Experian
P.O. Box 9554
Allen, TX 75013
1-888-397-3742
TransUnion
P.O. Box 160
Woodlyn, PA 19094
1-888-909-8872
Equifax
P.O. Box 105788
Atlanta, GA 30348-5788
1-800-685-1111
In order to request a security freeze, you will need to provide the following information:
- Your full name (including middle initial as well as Jr., Sr., II, III, etc.);
- Social Security number;
- Date of birth;
- If you have moved in the past five (5) years, provide the addresses where you have lived over the prior five years;
- Proof of current address, such as a current utility bill or telephone bill;
- A legible photocopy of a government-issued identification card (state driver’s license or ID card, military identification, etc.);
- If you are a victim of identity theft, include a copy of either the police report, investigative report, or complaint to a law enforcement agency concerning identity theft.
As an alternative to a security freeze, you have the right to place an initial or extended “fraud alert” on your file at no cost. An initial fraud alert is a 1-year alert that is placed on a consumer’s credit file. Upon seeing a fraud alert display on a consumer’s credit file, a business is required to take steps to verify the consumer’s identity before extending new credit. If you are a victim of identity theft, you are entitled to an extended fraud alert, which is a fraud alert lasting seven years. Should you wish to place a fraud alert, please contact any one of the agencies listed below:
Experian
P.O. Box 9554
Allen, TX 75013
1-888-397-3742
TransUnion
P.O. Box 160
Woodlyn, PA 19094
1-888-909-8872
Equifax
P.O. Box 105788
Atlanta, GA 30348-5788
1-800-685-1111
Additional Information: You can further educate yourself regarding identity theft, fraud alerts, security freezes, and the steps you can take to protect yourself by contacting the consumer reporting agencies, the Federal Trade Commission, or your state Attorney General.
The Federal Trade Commission can be reached at: 600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20580; www.identitytheft.gov; 1-877-ID-THEFT (1-877-438-4338); and TTY: 1-866-653-4261. The Federal Trade Commission also encourages those who discover that their information has been misused to file a complaint with them. You can obtain further information on how to file such a complaint by way of the contact information listed above. You have the right to file a police report if you ever experience identity theft or fraud. Please note that in order to file a report with law enforcement for identity theft, you will likely need to provide some proof that you have been a victim. Instances of known or suspected identity theft should also be reported to law enforcement and your state Attorney General.