Home / Crime and Justice / Universities Hit: Hackers Leak Stolen Data
Universities Hit: Hackers Leak Stolen Data
4 Feb
Summary
- Hackers released over one million records from Harvard and UPenn.
- The data was published after universities refused to pay ransom.
- Breaches exploited social engineering and voice phishing tactics.
A notorious hacking group, ShinyHunters, has claimed responsibility for data breaches affecting Harvard University and the University of Pennsylvania last year. The group recently published what it claims are over one million records from each institution on its dedicated leak site.
These publications followed the universities' refusal to pay a ransom demand. Both UPenn and Harvard confirmed breaches of their alumni and development systems in November. UPenn attributed its breach to social engineering, while Harvard cited a voice phishing attack.
The exposed data includes email addresses, phone numbers, donation details, and biographical information. TechCrunch verified a portion of the data against public records and alumni confirmation. UPenn is currently analyzing the data and will notify individuals as required by privacy regulations.
