Computer at IU sleep center breached by hacker

INDIANAPOLIS - A hacker gained access to the Social Security numbers and other personal information of about 7,000 patients at the Indiana University Center for Sleep Disorders, the school said Friday.\nUniversity computer technology employees discovered Jan. 3 that someone had hacked into a center computer in November, School of Medicine spokesman Joe Stuteville said.\nThe hacker did not gain access to patient medical files, he said, but the computer did contain information, such as home addresses and dates of birth, which an identity thief could use.\nStuteville said IU had notified the patients and had no evidence any identities were stolen or even that the hacker downloaded any files. The hacker left a computer program probe that unsuccessfully tried to use the center's computer as a jumping off place to enter other university computers.\nThe university sent out letters on Feb. 12 apologizing to patients and alerting them to review their credit card statements and other bills. Stuteville said it took the university several weeks to compile an accurate mailing list.\nAbout 270 calls have been made to an information line established at the sleep center to answer questions from patients about the computer breach. The number is (866) 367-6507.\nTwo computer breaches in 2001 caused the personal information of about 5,000 IU students or applicants to be accessed by hackers