Columbia University Data Breach Exposes Records of 2.5 Million in Politically Motivated Cyberattack

NEW YORK, NY — July 2, 2025 Columbia University experienced a significant cyberattack that compromised the personal data of approximately 2.5 million students, applicants, and employees. The breach, attributed to a politically motivated "hacktivist," targeted the university's admissions systems, seeking documents related to affirmative action practices, which were banned by the Supreme Court in 2023.

The attacker infiltrated Columbia's network over a two-month period, extracting sensitive information including Social Security numbers, citizenship status, admissions decisions, and employee salaries. The breach led to system outages across the campus and resulted in the unauthorized display of political imagery on campus monitors.

Columbia University has initiated an investigation with cybersecurity experts and law enforcement to assess the full impact of the breach and prevent future incidents. The university has assured that its Irving Medical Center was not affected and emphasized that its admissions processes comply with current legal standards.

This cyberattack occurs amidst ongoing tensions between Columbia University and the Trump administration, which has threatened to withhold $400 million in federal funding over allegations that the university failed to address antisemitism on campus. The breach highlights the increasing vulnerability of educational institutions to politically motivated cyber threats.

*Sources: *https://www.nytimes.com/2025/07/01/nyregion/columbia-university-hacker.html