Pitt Information Technology has received reports of a data breach that allegedly occurred at the publication The Chronicle of Higher Education in February 2020. The Chronicle of Higher Education has not confirmed the breach; however, evidence suggests that email addresses and passwords obtained from the breach are circulating on the dark web.

If you have an account at The Chronicle of Higher Education, Pitt IT recommends you change that password as soon as possible.

While the data exposed in the alleged breach did not come from University systems, sometimes individuals reuse the same passwords on multiple websites. If you use the same or a similar password at Pitt or other websites, you should also change those passwords.

In addition, utilize the following good password practices to minimize your susceptibility to data breaches:

• Use a password manager to simplify the management of your various passwords. Pitt Password Manager (LastPass) is available at no cost to all students, faculty, and staff. You can use it to create strong, unique passwords for all your online services.
• Do not reuse passwords across different websites. Scammers try variations of known passwords, so it is important to make sure your passwords are not similar to each other.  
• Use strong, complex passwords that include symbols, numbers, and uppercase and lowercase letters.
• Change your passwords frequently.
• Use multifactor authentication on websites that allow it.

Please contact the Technology Help Desk at 412-624-HELP (4357) if you have any questions regarding this announcement.