Columbia University recently confirmed a significant cybersecurity incident, impacting personal, financial, and health-related data of students, applicants, and employees. The university began notifying affected individuals on August 7, with the process ongoing.
The breach was discovered following a network outage in June. Investigations revealed that an unauthorized party gained access to Columbia’s systems and exfiltrated sensitive information. While the full extent of the data theft is still being assessed, reports suggest approximately 460 gigabytes of data were compromised. The exposed information includes names, dates of birth, Social Security numbers, contact details, academic and financial aid records, and some health information. Patient records from the Columbia University Irving Medical Center were reportedly not affected.
In response, Columbia has notified law enforcement and is collaborating with cybersecurity experts. The university has implemented enhanced security measures and protocols to prevent future breaches. Affected individuals are being offered two years of complimentary credit monitoring and identity theft restoration services. Although no misuse of the stolen data has been confirmed, the university cautions that the risk remains high, as criminals may exploit such data at a later time.
This incident underscores the ongoing vulnerabilities faced by even established institutions in the face of sophisticated cyber threats. As investigations continue and notifications extend through the fall, individuals are urged to remain vigilant about protecting their personal information. Experts recommend monitoring credit reports, utilizing data removal services, setting up fraud alerts, employing strong, unique passwords, enabling two-factor authentication, and being cautious of phishing attempts.
According to Fox News reporting on September 6, 2025.
