The University of Pennsylvania has called in the FBI after a data breach resulted in offensive emails being sent to alumni and affected "select information systems." The university says it is working with law enforcement and third-party technical teams, while the FBI had not immediately commented. Cybersecurity site Bleeping Computer quoted an alleged hacker claiming the incident exposed data on 1.2 million donors, a claim Reuters could not verify. The attack follows a string of recent university breaches, including a Columbia University incident tied to a controversial hacker.
University of Pennsylvania Calls in FBI After Data Breach Sends Offensive Emails to Alumni
The University of Pennsylvania has called in the FBI after a data breach resulted in offensive emails being sent to alumni and affected "select information systems." The university says it is working with law enforcement and third-party technical teams, while the FBI had not immediately commented. Cybersecurity site Bleeping Computer quoted an alleged hacker claiming the incident exposed data on 1.2 million donors, a claim Reuters could not verify. The attack follows a string of recent university breaches, including a Columbia University incident tied to a controversial hacker.
04:25, 04.11.2025Security
University of Pennsylvania notifies FBI after alumni receive offensive emails
WASHINGTON (Reuters) — The University of Pennsylvania said on Monday it has involved the Federal Bureau of Investigation after a data breach led to offensive emails being sent to alumni.
In a statement the university said the incident affected "select information systems" and that it is "working with law enforcement as well as other third-party technical resources to address this as rapidly as possible." The FBI did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
Reuters reviewed one of the messages sent to alumni which appeared to come from someone posing as the university. The email criticized the institution as "elitist," "woke" and "completely unmeritocratic," and used additional coarse language directed at staff and students.
The cybersecurity site Bleeping Computer quoted an unnamed person or group it identified as the hacker, who claimed the breach exposed data on 1.2 million University of Pennsylvania donors. Reuters said it could not independently verify that figure or identify the individual or group responsible.
Higher education institutions have long been attractive targets for both state-sponsored actors and cybercriminals. In recent weeks, multiple universities were reportedly targeted by a hacker who has expressed support for Adolf Hitler; those incidents included a Columbia University breach that resulted in the leak of portions of New York mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani's college application.
University statement:
"We are working with law enforcement as well as other third-party technical resources to address this as rapidly as possible."
University officials have not disclosed which specific systems were affected or the full scope of exposed data. Investigations by law enforcement and outside cybersecurity specialists are ongoing.