Notice of Data Security Incident

BUFFALO, N.Y., May 18, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Villa Maria College takes the privacy and security of personal information entrusted to it by students, employees, and the broader campus community with the utmost seriousness. Safeguarding that information is a core institutional responsibility – and one the College continually works to strengthen.

On August 12, 2024, Villa Maria College identified unusual activity within its network. Upon discovery, Villa Maria College took action to secure its network, including resetting passwords and retaining independent cyber incident response specialists to investigate the nature and scope of the event. The investigation determined that certain folders within the network were subject to unauthorized access and acquisition between August 7, 2024 and August 14, 2024. Villa Maria immediately reported the incident to federal law enforcement. Following a comprehensive review of the involved data and months-long investigation, Villa Maria College confirmed on March 17, 2026 that certain personal information was contained within the affected data set.

Villa Maria College has no evidence that any involved information has been misused for fraud, identity theft, or any other improper purpose.

The information involved varied by individual. For certain students, the involved information may have included first and last name in combination with Social Security number, date of birth, payment card information, and financial account and routing numbers. For certain staff, the involved information may have included first and last name in combination with Social Security number, driver's license or state identification number, date of birth, tax identification number, financial account information, or payment card information.

Building on its existing robust data security infrastructure, Villa Maria College has implemented additional measures to bolster its security posture. In addition, Villa Maria College offered complimentary credit monitoring and identity protection services through Cyberscout, a TransUnion company, to individuals whose Social Security numbers were determined to be involved.

Individuals are encouraged to remain vigilant by reviewing account statements and credit reports for suspicious activity. Free credit reports may be obtained from the three major credit reporting agencies by visiting www.annualcreditreport.com or calling 1-877-322-8228. Individuals may also obtain information about fraud alerts, security freezes, and identity theft prevention from the Federal Trade Commission ("FTC") and state Attorneys General. The FTC may be reached at www.identitytheft.gov or 1-877-438-4338.

Villa Maria College established a dedicated call center through TransUnion to answer questions regarding this matter. The call center may be reached at 1-800-405-6108, Monday through Friday, from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Eastern Time, excluding holidays.

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SOURCE Kennedys CMK LLP