Harvard University Hit by Data Breach in Latest Wave of Ivy League Cyberattacks

A reported hack of a Harvard University database marks the latest incident in a series of cyberattacks targeting Ivy League institutions. The breach highlights growing concerns about the vulnerability of major universities to digital intrusions and the potential risks to sensitive academic or administrative data. The incident adds pressure on higher-education institutions to strengthen cybersecurity defenses amid a rise in attacks on prominent campuses.

US colleges have long been frequent targets for hackers, but Ivy League universities have faced an especially sharp uptick in attacks in recent months. Harvard University is the latest victim, confirming that a database containing information on alumni, donors, some students, and faculty was accessed by an “unauthorized party” following a phone-based phishing attack. The breach marks Harvard’s second cybersecurity investigation this year.

According to a notice posted on the university’s website, the attack occurred Tuesday and exposed personal contact details, donation records, and other data tied to fundraising and alumni engagement programs.

Harvard, the oldest and wealthiest university in the United States, routinely raises more than $1 billion annually. In October, the school disclosed it was probing reports that its data had been compromised in a broader hacking campaign targeting customers of Oracle Corp.

The university has not named any potential suspects.

“Harvard acted immediately to remove the attacker’s access to our systems and prevent further unauthorized access,” Tim Bailey, director of communications for Harvard University Information Technology, said in a statement. “We are working with third-party cybersecurity experts and law enforcement to investigate this incident.”

The breach adds to a growing list of recent intrusions across the Ivy League. Princeton University reported on Nov. 15 that a database containing information about alumni, donors, students, and other community members had been compromised. On Oct. 31, the University of Pennsylvania disclosed that several information systems connected to its development and alumni operations had been breached.

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Source: NDTV