A significant security breach occurred at New York University (NYU) this past Saturday, as hackers infiltrated the university’s website, compromising the personal data of over 3 million applicants. The breach lasted for at least two hours and exposed sensitive information, including applicants’ names, test scores, chosen majors, financial details, zip codes, and family member information, with records dating back to 1989.
The hacker, who took responsibility for the attack, stated their motivation was to draw attention to NYU’s continued use of affirmative action in admissions following the U.S. Supreme Court’s 2023 ruling that banned race-based preferences in college admissions.
This breach has raised serious concerns over the security measures at academic institutions and their ability to protect applicants’ sensitive data, which could have wide-reaching implications for both the university and affected individuals. The university has not yet provided detailed comment on the incident or disclosed steps for affected applicants.
The breach highlights the growing risks of cyberattacks in an increasingly digital world, particularly on institutions dealing with large-scale personal data.
