Security
Columbia University, one of the most prestigious Ivy League institutions, has confirmed a major cybersecurity breach impacting 868,969 individuals, including current and former students, applicants, employees, and family members. The data breach, discovered in late June 2025, involved the theft of sensitive personal, financial, and health information by an unauthorized third-party hacker.
The university revealed that on or around May 16, 2025, the attacker infiltrated its network, stealing specific files. Compromised data includes names, dates of birth, Social Security numbers, contact details, demographic information, academic history, financial aid records, insurance details, and some health-related information. Fortunately, Columbia University Irving Medical Center patient records were not affected.
Founded in 1767 as King’s College, Columbia University operates with a $6.6 billion budget, over 20,000 employees, and more than 35,000 students across 19 schools and programs. The breach came to light after a system outage on June 24, followed by an investigation involving cybersecurity experts. Reports claim the hacker exfiltrated 460GB of data from the university’s network.
To mitigate potential identity theft and fraud risks, Columbia is offering affected individuals two years of free credit monitoring, fraud consultation, and identity theft restoration services through Kroll. This incident underscores the growing threat of data breaches in higher education and highlights the urgent need for stronger cybersecurity measures across universities.
The university revealed that on or around May 16, 2025, the attacker infiltrated its network, stealing specific files. Compromised data includes names, dates of birth, Social Security numbers, contact details, demographic information, academic history, financial aid records, insurance details, and some health-related information. Fortunately, Columbia University Irving Medical Center patient records were not affected.
Founded in 1767 as King’s College, Columbia University operates with a $6.6 billion budget, over 20,000 employees, and more than 35,000 students across 19 schools and programs. The breach came to light after a system outage on June 24, followed by an investigation involving cybersecurity experts. Reports claim the hacker exfiltrated 460GB of data from the university’s network.
To mitigate potential identity theft and fraud risks, Columbia is offering affected individuals two years of free credit monitoring, fraud consultation, and identity theft restoration services through Kroll. This incident underscores the growing threat of data breaches in higher education and highlights the urgent need for stronger cybersecurity measures across universities.
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