Columbia University Data Breach Affects 2.5 Million Students and Applicants Amid Affirmative Action Probe by Politically Motivated Hacker

Columbia University disclosed that an unauthorized actor unlawfully accessed and stole personal information from a limited portion of its network, affecting data on approximately 2.5 million students and applicants. The breach, which occurred in June 2025, compromised sensitive details including whether applicants were accepted or rejected. The hacker reportedly targeted information to determine if the university continues to use affirmative action policies in its admissions process. Columbia University confirmed the incident but did not specify the full extent of the data compromised. The attack appears to be politically motivated, with the perpetrator opposing racially discriminatory admissions practices.