BREAKING: Hackers have breached the University of Pennsylvania and are threatening to leak sensitive data, targeting alumni, students, and staff with alarming emails. On Friday morning, July 14, 2023, multiple recipients received messages claiming to be from the university’s Graduate School of Education (GSE), featuring shocking admissions about the institution’s security practices.
The email, sent from various official @upenn.edu addresses, included statements like, “We have terrible security practices and are completely unmeritocratic,” and ominously warned, “all your data will be leaked” if demands are not met. This breach has raised immediate concerns about the safety of personal information for thousands associated with the university.
University spokesperson Ron Ozio confirmed the incident, stating, “A fraudulent email has been circulated that appears to come from the University of Pennsylvania’s Graduate School of Education. This is obviously a fake, and nothing in the highly offensive, hurtful message reflects the mission or actions of Penn or of Penn GSE.” The university’s incident response team is “actively addressing” this urgent situation.
This attack follows a significant political context, as the university recently rejected a proposal from the White House aimed at aligning federal funding with the Trump administration’s political agenda. The proposal sought to impose strict conditions on universities, including the abolition of affirmative action and measures targeting gender diversity policies. The hackers appear to be leveraging the current sociopolitical climate, urging alumni to withdraw their financial support: “Please stop giving us money,” the email stated.
Concerns are growing as several individuals have reported receiving the fraudulent emails multiple times. One recipient, a university alumna, noted receiving the message three times, further highlighting the widespread nature of this breach.
WHAT’S NEXT: Authorities urge anyone who receives suspicious emails to report them immediately. The university is working to secure its systems and protect its community from further threats. The impact of this breach on alumni relations and future donations could be substantial, and the situation continues to evolve.
Stay tuned for updates as the University of Pennsylvania investigates this serious breach and works to safeguard its data and community. This is a developing story with potential ramifications for both the university and its affiliates.
