Columbia University Faces Data Breach and Cyberattack Disruption

A hacker claimed to have stolen personal data of 2.5 million Columbia University applicants and students, including application decisions and identification numbers, in a targeted cyberattack. The breach, linked to a hacktivist aiming to influence university admissions policies, was detected after a system outage in June, with the university engaging cybersecurity firm CrowdStrike to assess the scope. The incident raises concerns about data privacy and potential impacts on university diversity initiatives amid ongoing political and legal challenges.