Press Release

Public Statement Regarding Pearson Credential Manager System


November 23, 2015

We recently were made aware that an unauthorized third party placed malware on Pearson VUE’s Credential Manager System—which is used by adult learners to support professional certifications and licenses. The unauthorized third party improperly accessed certain information related to a limited set of our users.

This issue does not affect other Pearson systems. Our analysis to date indicates that the issue is isolated to Pearson VUE’s Credential Manager System. There is no indication that other systems have been affected.

Pearson VUE’s Credential Manager System is a stand-alone system that provides support to adults in a limited number of professional fields. The issue does not affect the wider scope of Pearson VUE systems, such as the Pearson VUE testing system or PearsonVUE.com. It is also important to note that this issue does not affect other Pearson systems, such as those supporting K-12 student assessments

With respect to the Credential Manager System, we are still assessing the scope of the specific data elements involved. As of now, we do not believe that U.S. Social Security numbers or full payment card information were compromised as a result of this issue.  Because the Credential Manager System is custom designed to fit specific customer requirements, we are working to understand how this issue may have affected each of our customers.

We are working with law enforcement and leading third-party forensic experts to assess and verify the scope of the issue and related facts. Customer privacy is a top priority for us and we take this responsibility very seriously. For the time being, the Pearson VUE PCM System remains offline. We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause.

We have been updating affected customers and will continue to do so. We have also set up a dedicated hotline to assist users with any questions or concerns they may have: (855) 270-9182 or +1 (512) 201-2203 for international users.”

Please see our Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) for more information.