Pennsylvania University Hit by Sophisticated Cyber Attack, Including Sensitive Information About High-Profile Figures
A brazen cyber attack on the prestigious University of Pennsylvania has exposed sensitive personal data about high-profile figures, including former US President Joe Biden and a former university president. The hacking group behind the breach claimed responsibility to The Verge, stating that their primary goal was to obtain access to the university's wealthy donor database.
According to the hackers, they accessed 1.2 million donor records, as well as internal talking points about the congressional testimony of former Penn President Liz Magill on antisemitism on campus. Magill resigned in late 2023 after she struggled to condemn violence against Jews during her testimony, which some saw as ambiguous.
The cyber attack also included the personal data of students, alumni, and donors, including names, birth dates, addresses, phone numbers, demographic information, and donor details such as estimated net worth and donation history. The hackers claimed to have gained access to multiple university systems to steal this sensitive information.
However, the email sent to Penn students and alumni, which was described by some recipients as highly derogatory, appears to be a fabrication, with the university denying it as "fake" and "not reflective of our values." The hackers also stated that their primary goal was not to extort the university but to obtain access to its donor database.
The group's motivations seem to be rooted in their disdain for institutions they perceive as elitist and nepotistic. They claimed that their main goal was to acquire valuable data from Penn, rather than targeting individuals or engaging in extortion. However, the attack highlights the vulnerability of high-profile organizations to sophisticated cyber attacks.
Penn has reported the breach to the FBI and is working with law enforcement and technical resources to address the situation as quickly as possible. The university's administration has assured that it is taking steps to enhance its security measures and prevent similar incidents in the future.
A brazen cyber attack on the prestigious University of Pennsylvania has exposed sensitive personal data about high-profile figures, including former US President Joe Biden and a former university president. The hacking group behind the breach claimed responsibility to The Verge, stating that their primary goal was to obtain access to the university's wealthy donor database.
According to the hackers, they accessed 1.2 million donor records, as well as internal talking points about the congressional testimony of former Penn President Liz Magill on antisemitism on campus. Magill resigned in late 2023 after she struggled to condemn violence against Jews during her testimony, which some saw as ambiguous.
The cyber attack also included the personal data of students, alumni, and donors, including names, birth dates, addresses, phone numbers, demographic information, and donor details such as estimated net worth and donation history. The hackers claimed to have gained access to multiple university systems to steal this sensitive information.
However, the email sent to Penn students and alumni, which was described by some recipients as highly derogatory, appears to be a fabrication, with the university denying it as "fake" and "not reflective of our values." The hackers also stated that their primary goal was not to extort the university but to obtain access to its donor database.
The group's motivations seem to be rooted in their disdain for institutions they perceive as elitist and nepotistic. They claimed that their main goal was to acquire valuable data from Penn, rather than targeting individuals or engaging in extortion. However, the attack highlights the vulnerability of high-profile organizations to sophisticated cyber attacks.
Penn has reported the breach to the FBI and is working with law enforcement and technical resources to address the situation as quickly as possible. The university's administration has assured that it is taking steps to enhance its security measures and prevent similar incidents in the future.
I'm so worried about universities getting hacked like this, especially when they're dealing with sensitive info on high-profile people 
. I mean, think about it, if a hacker can get into Penn's donor database, who knows what else they could do with that kind of access? It's not just the donors' personal info that's at risk, but also the students and alumni... what if they used that info to blackmail or scam people? 
And I don't even get why the hackers would bother going after Penn specifically - are they really trying to take down elitist institutions? Or is it just a bunch of people with too much time on their hands trying to cause some chaos? 
Either way, this is a major wake-up call for universities and governments everywhere... we need to step up our cyber security game ASAP 
so sad they got exposed like this... think its really bad for them, especially with all the sensitive info out there... dont know why people gotta be so mean online too, fake emails or whatever 
... but yeah, cyber attacks are super common nowadays and we need to stay more secure online... 
. I mean, who doesn't know someone with connections to high-profile figures? It's like a treasure trove of sensitive info just waiting to be exploited 
. And let's be real, the hackers' motivations seem pretty petty – elitist institutions are their target 
. I'm glad Penn is taking steps to enhance security and prevent similar incidents, but it's just a reminder that we all need to be more careful about our online presence 
.
. So, be cautious out there, folks! 
This cyber attack on Penn University is totally 
clear - they're all about getting their hands on valuable data from these elitist organizations. But I guess that just shows how smart and sneaky these hackers can be... 
. Fingers crossed they get those hackers ASAP! 
meanwhile they're saying the email sent to students was fake 
but still how did they get that much info on donors and students? it's like a digital mess 
gotta give credit where credit is due tho, Penn is taking this seriously and working with law enforcement to fix things 
guess we can all learn from their mistake 
The fact that they claimed their goal was to get into the donor database but ended up just messing with Penn's emails is just so... amateur. 
What if these hackers start targeting more universities and organizations? It's gonna be a wild ride trying to stay safe online... 
and omg, former president joe biden's personal info got exposed too?! like, what's the point of that?! 
my heart goes out to all those affected by this cyber attack 
and i don't think its okay to use the hack as a way to diss institutions & make it sound like they're elitist etc.. universities are supposed to be places of knowledge & growth not targets for cyberbullies 
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. But nope, seems like even the best of them can't avoid a cyber attack these days 
. Maybe they can learn from this and come out stronger on the other side 
this is so frustrating... i can only imagine how scary it must be for students, alumni & donors whose personal info got exposed 
hope Penn can get their act together & fix this ASAP