Hack Attack Hits Catholic Agency Workers

The problem surfaced in late July, when IT staff for the Michigan Catholic Conference found a suspicious file deep within the organization's computer network. 

The attackers had pierced the computer defenses of a system that handles payroll processing and employee benefits for Conference employees across the state. 

Work sites affected included Catholic churches, schools, hospitals, orphanages and diocesan offices. 

"Although the headquarters’ computer safeguards, or firewalls, are sturdy and up-to-date," Detroit Free Press reports, it is likely the attackers got away with employee names, Social Security numbers, dates of birth, addresses and monthly wage amounts. 

“I cannot tell you how many prayers have been said in this organization in the last two weeks about this,” said David Maluchnik, communications director for the Michigan Catholic Conference. “God forbid, if something like this were to happen again, the only information that a hacker would get is a series of numbers” and not employees’ names. 

Religious employees, including priests and nuns, were not affected by the breach because their personal data is maintained on separate systems.