By Shawn Ness | February 20, 2023
Apogee Resnet Logo
Photo Credit: Apogee Resnet (Stetson University)
Apogee MyResNet, the third-party internet service provider for the University at Albany suffered a potential data breach in early February. Both the University and Apogee claim that no UAlbany systems or students’ data were compromised.
“After the recent incident was detected by Apogee, the company alerted UAlbany and communicated directly with the students/ResNet users it believed at the time may have been impacted,” UAlbany Director of Media and Communications Jordan Carleo-Evangelist said. “The University then took the additional step of encouraging all ResNet users to change their passwords as an extra layer of precaution. We have no reason to believe the University’s network was ever exposed – in part because the University uses two-factor identification for network access.”
Apogee conducted an initial investigation and found no evidence that UAlbany accounts were exposed during the breach. The investigation will consist of a forensic analysis of what occurred within Apogee’s network.
Carleo-Evangelist said that the two-factor identification system that UAlbany uses helped ensure that no UAlbany students’ data was exposed. UAlbany sent out emails encouraging students to change their MyResNet password as an extra precaution.
Apogee is a common provider of internet services for over 350 colleges and universities across the country, according to an Apogee press release. UAlbany uses a third-party provider due to the “complexity of running residential network services for thousands of students with many thousands more connected devices,” Carleo-Evangelist said.
Carleo-Evangelist stressed the need for UAlbany students to change their password associated with Apogee MyResNet, as the university has instructed. Also adding the importance of using different passwords across different platforms, as a “breach of one could compromise the others.”
The Albany Student Press reached out to Apogee MyResNet for comment but did not receive a response. Updates will be shared as they arise.