THUMBS DOWN: Hi-Tech Hijackers Target Campus Networks

Saying goodbye to your childrenwhen they leave for college can betough on physician-parents. There areso many concerns for mom and dad tothink about. Will the former straight-Astudent be overwhelmed by collegelevelclasses? How is the brood athome going to cope with the absenceof a favorite sibling? Unfortunately for21st-century parents of college-boundkids, there's a new concern that needsaddressing: hi-tech hijacking. SinceJanuary, a number of higher institutionshave reported attacks by hackers,including Boston College, the Universityof Kansas, and NorthwesternUniversity. It's believed that in eachcase computer culprits gained accessto such personal information as thesocial security numbers of employees,alumni, or students. Apparently, collegeand university networks, ripe withpersonal data, are a favorite destinationfor hackers. For information onhow to protect your scholar's identity,visit www.youngmoney.com/consumer/consumerfraud.