Class-action lawsuit filed against Wilkes over data breach

Wilkes University is being sued in a class-action lawsuit following a data breach that may have exposed the sensitive information of over 27,000 people, including current and former students and employees. The lawsuit, filed on October 16th, alleges that Wilkes failed to adequately protect personal identifiable information (PII) and accuses the university of having insufficient security measures, including inadequate employee training. The breach, which occurred around January 25th and 26th, potentially exposed a wide range of data, such as names, addresses, Social Security numbers, and financial information.

Wilkes University first alerted its community to the breach on October 8th and is offering credit monitoring services to those affected. However, the lawsuit criticizes this response as “wholly insufficient” and argues that the university delayed notifying those impacted by 256 days, hindering their ability to mitigate potential harm. The suit further claims that the stolen data is likely already circulating on the dark web.

The plaintiffs are seeking injunctive relief, demanding that Wilkes implement adequate security measures consistent with industry standards and prevent future breaches. They also assert that the damage caused by the breach is irreparable, as the exposed PII remains permanently insecure. The lawsuit exceeds the $5 million threshold for a federal class-action suit and requests a jury trial.

(Source：Wilkes-Barre Citizens' Voice)