DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – An Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University grad student and a communications specialist at the Daytona Beach school were arrested Thursday in connection with a security breach of the school’s
computer, network and security systems, officials said.
The Daytona Beach Police Department said a nearly year-long investigation with the FBI culminated in the arrests of student Kevin Mark Scott, 27, and Jeanette Blair Barott, 34, who was taken into custody at the Daytona Beach school.
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“Our online security systems immediately notified us on Nov. 7, 2017, of an attempted security breach that was blocked,” said ERAU spokeswoman Ginger Pinholster. “We swiftly took aggressive steps to tighten online security, and worked closely with the Federal Bureau of Investigation in Jacksonville and the Daytona Beach Police Department, as they investigated this matter over a period of months."
School officials said there's no evidence that any financial or personal information was compromised by the intrusion.
“The threat of computer and network intrusions on our nation’s critical infrastructure is serious and growing,” said FBI Jacksonville Special Agent in Charge Charles P. Spencer. “Educational institutions with cutting edge research are often prime targets for sophisticated attacks, and the aftermath can be costly. The FBI Jacksonville Division will continue to work tirelessly with our law enforcement and public and private sector partners to ensure those responsible are held accountable for any damages they cause,"
“The threat of security breaches are real and a serious problem. The Daytona Beach Police Department works tirelessly to investigate these threats to ensure the safety and security of our citizens," Daytona Beach police Sgt. Tim Ehrenkaufer said.
Scott and Barott face felony charges of damage to a computer or system.