Columbia University Hack: 870,000 People Affected by Data Breach

A recent cyberattack on Columbia University's computer systems has left a trail of concern among students, applicants, and staff. The breach, which was detected in June, has been revealed to have compromised the personal information of approximately 870,000 individuals, including students, applicants, and even some employees.

The hack, which is believed to have occurred around May 16, resulted in the theft of sensitive data, including contact details, demographic information, academic history, financial aid-related information, insurance, and health-related data. According to letters sent by the university to potentially affected individuals, this data includes not only student information but also financial records, such as banking numbers.

The breach has sparked concerns about the security of personal data at Columbia University, with some reports suggesting that sensitive information was stolen before an IT outage in June brought many of the school's computer systems to a halt. The university had previously stated that the perpetrator was a "politically motivated hacktivist," but further details have not been released.

The university has acknowledged that it is still working to determine the full extent of the breach and notify those who may have been affected. Columbia officials confirmed that they will continue to provide updates on the situation, emphasizing their commitment to enhancing security measures to prevent similar incidents in the future.

Following reports of the breach, both Maine and California attorneys general require organizations to report breaches "without unreasonable delay" when resident data is involved. According to reports submitted by Columbia University to these offices, the breach affected 868,969 people, highlighting the severity of the incident.

Implementation of Security Measures

"We have implemented a number of safeguards across our systems to enhance our security," the university stated in letters to potentially affected individuals. "Moving forward, we will be examining what additional steps we can take and additional safeguards we can implement to prevent something like this from happening again."

Stay Informed: Automatic Alerts for This Topic

Get the latest news on this topic by signing up for our automatic alerts. Stay updated on any developments related to Columbia University's data breach, including updates on the investigation and potential next steps.