Someone gained unauthorized access to a computer at Honolulu Community College’s Pacific Avaiation Training Center on Monday, February 1, 2010, according to a report submitted to the legislature on March 16.

Several days later, on Thursday, Feb. 4, the FBI was notified of the incident. Two weeks later, it was discovered that the compromised computer had been used to store credit card information for 35 students so that they could easily pay for ongoing flight training.

The investigation apparently stepped up after two individuals reported unauthorized transactions on their credit cards.

The hacker used a shared networked computer “in a common area accessible by all student, staff and faculty in a planning and maps room,” according to the report.

Both the suspect and breached systems have been physically removed from the location and secured offsite and will be made available for additional forensic analysis in cooperation with the FBI. Follow up has been initiated with the FBI and the University of Hawaii Information Technology Services department.