About Baker University
Baker University, a higher education institution located in Baldwin City, KS, experienced a data breach affecting a total of 53,624 individuals, including 5 residents of Maine. The breach was discovered on October 29, 2025, though it occurred on December 2, 2024. The university reported that the breach involved unauthorized access to an external system, resulting in the potential compromise of personal and financial information.
What Happened
In December 2024, Baker University discovered suspicious activity related to certain systems which resulted in a network outage. Baker University immediately took steps to secure their environment and launched an investigation to determine the nature and scope of the activity. The investigation determined there was unauthorized access and/or acquisition of certain files and folders within Baker University’s network between December 2, 2024, and December 19, 2024. As a result, Baker University began an extensive review of these files and folders to determine whether sensitive information may have been impacted and to whom it related. This review was recently completed.
The breach involved unauthorized access to Baker University’s network, affecting personal identifiers combined with sensitive information. It impacted students and staff, revealing names, Social Security numbers, and financial account details. The incident was identified almost a year later, on October 29, 2025.
Next Steps
Affected individuals are advised to remain vigilant and monitor their accounts for any unauthorized activity. Baker University has notified federal law enforcement about the incident and is working on implementing additional security measures and employee training to prevent future incidents. It is crucial for those affected to review their financial statements regularly and report any discrepancies to the relevant authorities immediately.
Identity Theft Protection Services
Baker University is offering 12 months of identity protection and credit monitoring services through IDX at no cost to the individuals affected by the breach. The university is also providing instructions on how to place fraud alerts and security freezes on credit files, obtain free credit reports, and contact national consumer reporting agencies. Impacted individuals are encouraged to stay alert for signs of identity theft and to report any suspicious activities to the Federal Trade Commission or their state Attorney General.