Berkeley Grads' Identity Data Stolen

yali writes "Did you get a graduate degree from Berkeley? Or maybe you just applied but didn't go there? If so, your identity may have been stolen. A laptop was stolen containing names, social security numbers, birthdates, and addresses of grad students, alumni, and applicants. University police suspect that the thief just wanted the laptop, but the irony of California's mandatory notification law is that the thief may now know they have something even more valuable. Berkeley has set up a website with information on the breach."

No!

[TheSpeedoBeast]

Oh, HELL no, I just applied there!

Wow...

[InterruptDescriptorT]

Talk about your OpenBSD (Berkeley Social Data)...

Wow...

[jpiggot]

..and the irony of the theft...is that pot dealers are anixously bidding for the laptop on Ebay, for a chance to sell weed to more than enough smokers needed to put that down payment on that cool 50ft motoryacht they've been wanting.

I kid because I love. What other university lets you major in "crispy" ?

Re:Why do they need the SSNs?

[flyingsquid]

Why does a school need our SSNs? Why does anybody outside the government? Here in Minnesota, I need to provide my SSN now just for fishing and hunting licenses. WTF?

Next time you apply for a license, just tell them you are John Kruptowski, 537 Cherrywood Circle, Minneapolis, Minnesota, 575-63-6216, currently applying to UC Berkeley's astrophysics program.

If you don't like that name, I got a zillion more.

Re:Why do they need the SSNs?

[ikkonoishi]

#12074974, I am shocked by your assertation that my actions are being tracked by an ID number of some kind. All places should put the effort to protect our identities that Slashdot does.

Sincerly
#12072440

Re:My college, too.

[OneSmartFellow]

Surely to get into any room in any large building one must go to a specific hallway, on a specific floor.

Does this mean all theft from all large buildings is targetted ?

Re:Why do they need the SSNs?

[matth]

Exactly why my kids will not be getting SSNs!

That's ok.

[RandoX]

I don't use my own identity anymore anyway.

Poor devils.

[bobbuck]

Wow. These poor guys will be branded as Berkeley alumni for life.

Torrent?

[Cyn]

I can't seem to find it yet, anyone have it?

Re:My college, too.

[deadweight]

"To get there, you have to go to a specific hallway, on a specific floor, in a specific building" Doesn't that describe ANY physical location inside ANY multistory building?

Re:Poor devils.

[Anonymous Coward]

That's ok, Berkeley Alumni never leave the area anyway.

Re:And the funny thing is...

[Anonymous Coward]

Good thing you didn't send it to Berkeley.