- Columbia University File Form with the office of the Maine Attorney General
- He confirmed the number of victims and the type of stolen data
- Victims are offered free credit and identity flight monitoring services
A massive cybercidential managing nearly 870,000 students, employees and other people from the University of Columbia, and other people, were confirmed in May 2025, confirmed the university.
In a new file to the Maine Prosecutor General’s Office General, the University said at the end of June 2025, it was a breakdown in its computer systems, which caused an investigation with the support of cybersecurity and third -party criminalic experts.
The survey confirmed that the breakdown was the result of a cyber attack, in which the unidentified authors still stole sensitive data on exactly 868,969 people, including employees, candidates, students (current and former) and various family members.
460 GB of data taken
“Our survey determined that, on May 16, 2025, an unauthorized third party had access to the Columbia network and subsequently took certain files from our system,” said Columbia University.
“To date, we have no evidence that the patients of patients from Columbia University Irving Medical Center have been affected.”
The university recently began to inform individuals affected via letters which detailed the type of information stolen in the violation:
“The affected data has included your name, date of birth and social security number, as well as all the personal information that you have provided in relation to your request to Columbia, or that we have collected during your studies if you have registered,” the University apparently said.
“This included your contact details, your demographic information, your academic history, your information related to financial assistance and any information and health information related to the insurance you have shared with us.”
Some attackers confirmed the violation and said they stole 460 GB of data. Until now, there is no evidence that the data has been mistreated in the wild, but Columbia University will provide victims two years of free credit surveillance, fraud consultation and identity theft protection services, through Kroll, despite everything.
How to stay safe
Although the victims cannot directly do a lot of stolen data, they can make sure that the attackers do not use it against them. The best action plan is to remain vigilant with incoming communications, in particular those claiming to come from Columbia University.
Unlined emails, instant messages or telephone calls, in particular those who “threaten” to terminate accounts or prevent services, are probably a false.
If you think you are targeted, the best action plan is to stop any communication, then contact Columbia University directly, through proven channels.
Via Bleeping Compompute
