University Hack Leaves Professors

University Hack Leaves Professors' Data Vulnerable

A University of Kansas student was able to use a keystroke logger to gain access to a professor's computers and change his grades.

A recent hack at the University of Kansas is creating waves at universities around the country as administrations worry that an easily found device could allow students to gain access to professors' grades and other personal information.

The hacker at KU was an engineering student with a keystroke logger, he used the device to access professors' computers and change all his failing grades to A's.

"He may have never gotten caught, but he got greedy," Ron Barrett-Gonzalez, an engineering professor at KU told The Kansas City Star. "It does look a little suspicious when you are on academic probation and the dean's honor roll at the same time."

A keystroke logger, which can be either a piece of software or a device, logs every key a person presses on a computer keyboard. The logger can capture personal messages, passwords, credit card numbers, Social Security numbers - anything the user types.

Keystroke loggers are out there and in "high demand." For under a hundred dollars, the devices (about the size of a thumb drive) can be purchased online. It can be connected to a computer in an inconspicuous manner, something attached to a cable. 

University administrators learned about the hack during the 2016-2017 school year and expelled the student, however, faculty members where not aware of the intrusion until recently when the dean of the School of Engineering brought up the hack during a meeting last week.

Barrett-Gonzalez told The Kansas City Star that he believes this could be an issue at every university and high school across the country. 

"We needed to know about this as quickly as possible so that we could take steps against this," Barrett-Gonzalez said. "I'm horrified that KU didn't get the word out to all the faculty and graduate teaching assistants."

This particular hack is frightening to all involved since the student makes an active choice to cross the line of student conduct into criminal actions. 

 

About the Author

Sydny Shepard is the Executive Editor of Campus Security & Life Safety.

Featured

New Products

  • Compact IP Video Intercom

    Viking’s X-205 Series of intercoms provide HD IP video and two-way voice communication - all wrapped up in an attractive compact chassis.

  • A8V MIND

    A8V MIND

    Hexagon’s Geosystems presents a portable version of its Accur8vision detection system. A rugged all-in-one solution, the A8V MIND (Mobile Intrusion Detection) is designed to provide flexible protection of critical outdoor infrastructure and objects. Hexagon’s Accur8vision is a volumetric detection system that employs LiDAR technology to safeguard entire areas. Whenever it detects movement in a specified zone, it automatically differentiates a threat from a nonthreat, and immediately notifies security staff if necessary. Person detection is carried out within a radius of 80 meters from this device. Connected remotely via a portable computer device, it enables remote surveillance and does not depend on security staff patrolling the area.

  • Luma x20

    Luma x20

    Snap One has announced its popular Luma x20 family of surveillance products now offers even greater security and privacy for home and business owners across the globe by giving them full control over integrators’ system access to view live and recorded video. According to Snap One Product Manager Derek Webb, the new “customer handoff” feature provides enhanced user control after initial installation, allowing the owners to have total privacy while also making it easy to reinstate integrator access when maintenance or assistance is required. This new feature is now available to all Luma x20 users globally. “The Luma x20 family of surveillance solutions provides excellent image and audio capture, and with the new customer handoff feature, it now offers absolute privacy for camera feeds and recordings,” Webb said. “With notifications and integrator access controlled through the powerful OvrC remote system management platform, it’s easy for integrators to give their clients full control of their footage and then to get temporary access from the client for any troubleshooting needs.”