USC
Company Details
Linkedin ID:
university-of-southern-california
Website:
Employees number:
23,757
Number of followers:
699,372
NAICS:
6113
Industry Type:
Homepage:
usc.edu
IP Addresses:
210
Company ID:
UNI_2514649
Scan Status:
Completed
University of Southern California Company CyberSecurity Posture
usc.edu
The University of Southern California is a leading private research university located in Los Angeles, the capital of the Pacific Rim. This is the official LinkedIn presence for the University of Southern California. This account is managed and mediated by the staff of USC University Communications. Content (including posts from 3rd parties) that include videos, photographs, opinions and links to content outside of this channel do not necessarily represent the University of Southern California’s academic goals or opinions. Community guidelines: Alumni and students are welcome to post professional updates and news. Posts containing solicitations, product placements, derogatory or inflammatory comments are prohibited and will be removed. Off-topic comments will also be removed. Posts are not regularly monitored. Please note: for questions regarding degrees offered and admissions policies please call (213) 740-2311.
University of Southern California A.I CyberSecurity Scoring
USC Risk Score (AI oriented)Between 750 and 799
USC
Updated:
- Powered by our proprietary A.I cyber incident model
- Insurance preferes TPRM score to calculate premium
USC Global Score (TPRM)XXXX
USC
- Instant access to detailed risk factors
- Benchmark vs. industry & size peers
- Vulnerabilities
- Findings
USC Company CyberSecurity News & History
Past Incidents
2
Attack Types
2
California Attorney General's office and Premier Auto Credit: Premier Auto Credit Data Breach Lawsuit Investigation
Cyber Attack
Rankiteo Explanation
Attack without any consequences
Description: Premier Auto Credit Hit by Ransomware Attack, Exposing Sensitive Customer Data Premier Auto Credit, a California-based financial services company specializing in alternative auto financing, suffered a ransomware attack between January 11 and 15, 2025, resulting in the exposure of sensitive customer data. The breach was carried out by the cybercriminal group Cloak, which later published 156 GB of stolen data on the dark web. The compromised information includes full names and Social Security numbers, affecting individuals across multiple states, including at least three residents in Massachusetts. Premier Auto Credit detected the incident after noticing unusual network activity and launched a forensic investigation. The company disclosed the breach to the California and Massachusetts Attorneys General on December 23, 2025. The law firm Shamis & Gentile P.A. is investigating the incident on behalf of affected individuals, who may be eligible for compensation. Premier Auto Credit has offered free credit monitoring and identity theft protection services through Cyberscout to impacted customers. The breach underscores the ongoing risks of ransomware attacks targeting financial services providers.
University of Southern California
Breach
Rankiteo Explanation
Attack without any consequences
Description: The California Office of the Attorney General reported that the University of Southern California experienced a data breach on September 28, 2021, due to the loss of an external hard drive by a professor. The breach potentially affected personal information including student academic information, with notifications being sent out on May 5, 2022. The total number of affected individuals is unknown.
USC Company Scoring based on AI Models
Cyber Incidents Likelihood 3 - 6 - 9 months
A.I Risk Score Likelihood 3 - 6 - 9 months
Underwriter Stats for USC
Incidents vs Higher Education Industry Average (This Year)
No incidents recorded for University of Southern California in 2026.
Incidents vs All-Companies Average (This Year)
No incidents recorded for University of Southern California in 2026.
Incident Types USC vs Higher Education Industry Avg (This Year)
No incidents recorded for University of Southern California in 2026.
Incident History — USC (X = Date, Y = Severity)
USC cyber incidents detection timeline including parent company and subsidiaries
USC Company Subsidiaries
The University of Southern California is a leading private research university located in Los Angeles, the capital of the Pacific Rim. This is the official LinkedIn presence for the University of Southern California. This account is managed and mediated by the staff of USC University Communications. Content (including posts from 3rd parties) that include videos, photographs, opinions and links to content outside of this channel do not necessarily represent the University of Southern California’s academic goals or opinions. Community guidelines: Alumni and students are welcome to post professional updates and news. Posts containing solicitations, product placements, derogatory or inflammatory comments are prohibited and will be removed. Off-topic comments will also be removed. Posts are not regularly monitored. Please note: for questions regarding degrees offered and admissions policies please call (213) 740-2311.
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USC CyberSecurity News
December 03, 2025 04:08 PM
In Patents He Trusts: Srinivas Tummalapenta on Turning Cybersecurity Breakthroughs into Economic Advantage
IBM's CTO Srinivas Tummalapenta talks about how cybersecurity patents shape AI-era defense, turning innovation into competitive advantage.
December 01, 2025 08:00 AM
Gait Analysis: Doctoral Student’s Research Helps AI Walk the Walk
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How This CU Denver Professor Is Pioneering a Deeper Understanding of AI-Based Cybersecurity Threats to IOT Devices
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Frequently Asked Questions
Explore insights on cybersecurity incidents, risk posture, and Rankiteo's assessments.
USC CyberSecurity History Information
Official Website of University of Southern California
The official website of University of Southern California is http://www.usc.edu.
University of Southern California’s AI-Generated Cybersecurity Score
According to Rankiteo, University of Southern California’s AI-generated cybersecurity score is 786, reflecting their Fair security posture.
How many security badges does University of Southern California’ have ?
According to Rankiteo, University of Southern California currently holds 0 security badges, indicating that no recognized compliance certifications are currently verified for the organization.
Has University of Southern California been affected by any supply chain cyber incidents ?
According to Rankiteo, University of Southern California has not been affected by any supply chain cyber incidents, and no incident IDs are currently listed for the organization.
Does University of Southern California have SOC 2 Type 1 certification ?
According to Rankiteo, University of Southern California is not certified under SOC 2 Type 1.
Does University of Southern California have SOC 2 Type 2 certification ?
According to Rankiteo, University of Southern California does not hold a SOC 2 Type 2 certification.
Does University of Southern California comply with GDPR ?
According to Rankiteo, University of Southern California is not listed as GDPR compliant.
Does University of Southern California have PCI DSS certification ?
According to Rankiteo, University of Southern California does not currently maintain PCI DSS compliance.
Does University of Southern California comply with HIPAA ?
According to Rankiteo, University of Southern California is not compliant with HIPAA regulations.
Does University of Southern California have ISO 27001 certification ?
According to Rankiteo,University of Southern California is not certified under ISO 27001, indicating the absence of a formally recognized information security management framework.
Industry Classification of University of Southern California
University of Southern California operates primarily in the Higher Education industry.
Number of Employees at University of Southern California
University of Southern California employs approximately 23,757 people worldwide.
Subsidiaries Owned by University of Southern California
University of Southern California presently has no subsidiaries across any sectors.
University of Southern California’s LinkedIn Followers
University of Southern California’s official LinkedIn profile has approximately 699,372 followers.
NAICS Classification of University of Southern California
University of Southern California is classified under the NAICS code 6113, which corresponds to Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools.
University of Southern California’s Presence on Crunchbase
No, University of Southern California does not have a profile on Crunchbase.
University of Southern California’s Presence on LinkedIn
Yes, University of Southern California maintains an official LinkedIn profile, which is actively utilized for branding and talent engagement, which can be accessed here: https://www.linkedin.com/company/university-of-southern-california.
Cybersecurity Incidents Involving University of Southern California
As of January 23, 2026, Rankiteo reports that University of Southern California has experienced 2 cybersecurity incidents.
Number of Peer and Competitor Companies
University of Southern California has an estimated 15,170 peer or competitor companies worldwide.
What types of cybersecurity incidents have occurred at University of Southern California ?
Incident Types: The types of cybersecurity incidents that have occurred include Cyber Attack and Breach.
How does University of Southern California detect and respond to cybersecurity incidents ?
Detection and Response: The company detects and responds to cybersecurity incidents through an communication strategy with disclosed to california and massachusetts attorney general's offices..
Incident Details
Can you provide details on each incident ?
Title: University of Southern California Data Breach
Description: The University of Southern California experienced a data breach due to the loss of an external hard drive by a professor, potentially affecting personal information including student academic information.
Date Detected: 2021-09-28
Date Publicly Disclosed: 2022-05-05
Type: Data Breach
Attack Vector: Loss of External Hard Drive
Title: Premier Auto Credit Data Breach Investigation
Description: Premier Auto Credit experienced a significant data breach between Jan. 11, 2025, and Jan. 15, 2025, resulting from a ransomware attack by the group known as Cloak. The breach exposed sensitive personally identifiable information of customers, with 156 GB of data posted on the dark web.
Date Detected: 2025-01-15
Date Publicly Disclosed: 2025-12-23
Type: Ransomware Attack
Threat Actor: Cloak
What are the most common types of attacks the company has faced ?
Common Attack Types: The most common types of attacks the company has faced is Cyber Attack.
Impact of the Incidents
What was the impact of each incident ?
Incident : Data Breach USC117072825
Data Compromised: Student academic information
What types of data are most commonly compromised in incidents ?
Commonly Compromised Data Types: The types of data most commonly compromised in incidents are Student Academic Information, , Full Name, Social Security Number and .
Which entities were affected by each incident ?
Incident : Data Breach USC117072825
Entity Name: University of Southern California
Entity Type: Educational Institution
Industry: Education
Location: California, USA
Incident : Ransomware Attack UNIPRE1766527872
Entity Name: Premier Auto Credit
Entity Type: Financial Services Company
Industry: Auto Financing
Location: Glendale, California
Response to the Incidents
What measures were taken in response to each incident ?
Incident : Ransomware Attack UNIPRE1766527872
Communication Strategy: Disclosed to California and Massachusetts Attorney General's offices
Data Breach Information
What type of data was compromised in each breach ?
Incident : Data Breach USC117072825
Type of Data Compromised: Student academic information
Incident : Ransomware Attack UNIPRE1766527872
Type of Data Compromised: Full name, Social security number
Sensitivity of Data: High
Data Exfiltration: Yes
Personally Identifiable Information: Yes
Ransomware Information
Was ransomware involved in any of the incidents ?
Regulatory Compliance
Were there any regulatory violations and fines imposed for each incident ?
Incident : Ransomware Attack UNIPRE1766527872
Regulatory Notifications: California Attorney General's officeMassachusetts Attorney General's office
Lessons Learned and Recommendations
What recommendations were made to prevent future incidents ?
Incident : Ransomware Attack UNIPRE1766527872
Recommendations: Sign up for free Cyberscout credit monitoring and identity theft protection services, Monitor financial statements regularly for suspicious activity, Request a fraud alert or credit report from major credit bureaus, Seek legal help to understand rights and pursue compensationSign up for free Cyberscout credit monitoring and identity theft protection services, Monitor financial statements regularly for suspicious activity, Request a fraud alert or credit report from major credit bureaus, Seek legal help to understand rights and pursue compensationSign up for free Cyberscout credit monitoring and identity theft protection services, Monitor financial statements regularly for suspicious activity, Request a fraud alert or credit report from major credit bureaus, Seek legal help to understand rights and pursue compensationSign up for free Cyberscout credit monitoring and identity theft protection services, Monitor financial statements regularly for suspicious activity, Request a fraud alert or credit report from major credit bureaus, Seek legal help to understand rights and pursue compensation
References
Where can I find more information about each incident ?
Incident : Data Breach USC117072825
Source: California Office of the Attorney General
Incident : Ransomware Attack UNIPRE1766527872
Source: Shamis & Gentile P.A.
Where can stakeholders find additional resources on cybersecurity best practices ?
Additional Resources: Stakeholders can find additional resources on cybersecurity best practices at and Source: California Office of the Attorney General, and Source: Shamis & Gentile P.A..
Investigation Status
What is the current status of the investigation for each incident ?
Incident : Ransomware Attack UNIPRE1766527872
Investigation Status: Ongoing
How does the company communicate the status of incident investigations to stakeholders ?
Communication of Investigation Status: The company communicates the status of incident investigations to stakeholders through Disclosed to California and Massachusetts Attorney General's offices.
Stakeholder and Customer Advisories
Were there any advisories issued to stakeholders or customers for each incident ?
Incident : Ransomware Attack UNIPRE1766527872
Customer Advisories: Affected individuals notified and advised to take protective measures
What advisories does the company provide to stakeholders and customers following an incident ?
Advisories Provided: The company provides the following advisories to stakeholders and customers following an incident: was Affected individuals notified and advised to take protective measures.
Additional Questions
General Information
Who was the attacking group in the last incident ?
Last Attacking Group: The attacking group in the last incident was an Cloak.
Incident Details
What was the most recent incident detected ?
Most Recent Incident Detected: The most recent incident detected was on 2021-09-28.
What was the most recent incident publicly disclosed ?
Most Recent Incident Publicly Disclosed: The most recent incident publicly disclosed was on 2025-12-23.
Impact of the Incidents
What was the most significant data compromised in an incident ?
Most Significant Data Compromised: The most significant data compromised in an incident were Student Academic Information, and 156 GB.
Data Breach Information
What was the most sensitive data compromised in a breach ?
Most Sensitive Data Compromised: The most sensitive data compromised in a breach were 156 GB and Student Academic Information.
Lessons Learned and Recommendations
What was the most significant recommendation implemented to improve cybersecurity ?
Most Significant Recommendation Implemented: The most significant recommendation implemented to improve cybersecurity was Request a fraud alert or credit report from major credit bureaus, Sign up for free Cyberscout credit monitoring and identity theft protection services, Monitor financial statements regularly for suspicious activity and Seek legal help to understand rights and pursue compensation.
References
What is the most recent source of information about an incident ?
Most Recent Source: The most recent source of information about an incident are Shamis & Gentile P.A. and California Office of the Attorney General.
Investigation Status
What is the current status of the most recent investigation ?
Current Status of Most Recent Investigation: The current status of the most recent investigation is Ongoing.
Stakeholder and Customer Advisories
What was the most recent customer advisory issued ?
Most Recent Customer Advisory: The most recent customer advisory issued was an Affected individuals notified and advised to take protective measures.
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Latest Global CVEs (Not Company-Specific)
Description
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Risk Information
cvss3
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Severity: LOW
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:N
Description
Improper access control in Azure Front Door (AFD) allows an unauthorized attacker to elevate privileges over a network.
Risk Information
cvss3
Base: 9.8
Severity: LOW
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Description
Azure Entra ID Elevation of Privilege Vulnerability
Risk Information
cvss3
Base: 9.3
Severity: LOW
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Description
Moonraker is a Python web server providing API access to Klipper 3D printing firmware. In versions 0.9.3 and below, instances configured with the "ldap" component enabled are vulnerable to LDAP search filter injection techniques via the login endpoint. The 401 error response message can be used to determine whether or not a search was successful, allowing for brute force methods to discover LDAP entries on the server such as user IDs and user attributes. This issue has been fixed in version 0.10.0.
Risk Information
cvss4
Base: 2.7
Severity: LOW
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Description
Runtipi is a Docker-based, personal homeserver orchestrator that facilitates multiple services on a single server. Versions 3.7.0 and above allow an authenticated user to execute arbitrary system commands on the host server by injecting shell metacharacters into backup filenames. The BackupManager fails to sanitize the filenames of uploaded backups. The system persists user-uploaded files directly to the host filesystem using the raw originalname provided in the request. This allows an attacker to stage a file containing shell metacharacters (e.g., $(id).tar.gz) at a predictable path, which is later referenced during the restore process. The successful storage of the file is what allows the subsequent restore command to reference and execute it. This issue has been fixed in version 4.7.0.
Risk Information
cvss3
Base: 8.0
Severity: HIGH
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:H/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H
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RapidWhat Do We Measure ?
Incident
Finding
Grade
Digital Assets
Every week, Rankiteo analyzes billions of signals to give organizations a sharper, faster view of emerging risks. With deeper, more actionable intelligence at their fingertips, security teams can outpace threat actors, respond instantly to Zero-Day attacks, and dramatically shrink their risk exposure window.
These are some of the factors we use to calculate the overall score:
Network Security
Identify exposed access points, detect misconfigured SSL certificates, and uncover vulnerabilities across the network infrastructure.
SBOM (Software Bill of Materials)
Gain visibility into the software components used within an organization to detect vulnerabilities, manage risk, and ensure supply chain security.
CMDB (Configuration Management Database)
Monitor and manage all IT assets and their configurations to ensure accurate, real-time visibility across the company's technology environment.
Threat Intelligence
Leverage real-time insights on active threats, malware campaigns, and emerging vulnerabilities to proactively defend against evolving cyberattacks.
Rankiteo is a unified scoring and risk platform that analyzes billions of signals weekly to help organizations gain faster, more actionable insights into emerging threats. Empowering teams to outpace adversaries and reduce exposure.
