**Higher Education Under Siege: A Wave of Cyberattacks Exposes Systemic Vulnerabilities**
In the first half of 2025, a surge of cyberattacks has targeted major U.S. universities, exposing critical weaknesses in higher education’s cybersecurity defenses. The University of Pennsylvania, Harvard University, and Princeton University all reported breaches within the past two months, following earlier incidents at Columbia University, Dartmouth College, and New York University. Each institution confirmed the attacks stemmed from social engineering, with Harvard and Princeton specifically citing phone-based phishing as the entry point.
Officials at the affected schools stated they acted swiftly to contain the breaches and are reinforcing security measures. However, experts warn that universities face an uphill battle. Mike Corn, a former chief information security officer in higher education and current consultant at Vantage Technology, noted that colleges operate like "small cities," with decentralized networks, personal devices, and diverse user behaviors creating countless vulnerabilities. Even robust investments in cybersecurity, he argued, cannot guarantee immunity from attacks—especially as AI-driven threats grow more sophisticated.
The challenges extend beyond technology. Brian Nichols, CIO at the University of Kentucky, highlighted that while phishing simulations and training have improved awareness, they are not foolproof. Anita Nikolich, director of research and technology innovation at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, warned that punitive security measures can backfire, alienating faculty who may resist protocols perceived as restrictive. A core tension lies in academic freedom versus centralized IT control: many universities allow individual departments—such as medical or business schools—to maintain separate IT teams, increasing risk. Nikolich, who previously led IT infrastructure at the University of Chicago, described this fragmentation as a "huge risk factor," as decentralized systems complicate consistent security enforcement.
Faculty resistance further complicates the issue. Janice Lanham, a nursing lecturer at Clemson University, nearly fell victim to a phishing scam but caught the deception in time. Yet, as Brian Voss, Clemson’s CIO, observed, some professors view security protocols as obstacles to research and teaching. Voss described a "culture of subservience" in higher-ed IT, where departments prioritize faculty demands over security, often retaining excessive data—including sensitive information like Social Security numbers—despite the risks. His efforts to reduce data storage have met resistance, with one university even retaining personal data for voter registration purposes, creating what he called "piles of gold for bad guys."
The conflict between research needs and security is particularly acute. Nikolich, who also conducts quantum computing research, faced initial pushback when requesting network data for her work. After demonstrating the data’s non-sensitive nature and potential security benefits, she gained access—but noted that other universities default to blanket denials. When researchers are blocked, she warned, they often bypass official channels, increasing exposure.
The solution, Nikolich suggested, lies in collaboration: IT, security teams, and faculty must treat cybersecurity as a shared priority, balancing innovation with protection. Until then, universities remain prime targets—caught between the demands of open academic environments and the escalating sophistication of cyber threats.
Source: https://www.chronicle.com/article/why-cyberattacks-in-higher-ed-keep-proliferating
Dartmouth College TPRM report: https://www.rankiteo.com/company/dartmouth-college
Harvard University TPRM report: https://www.rankiteo.com/company/harvard-university
Princeton University TPRM report: https://www.rankiteo.com/company/princeton-university
Columbia University TPRM report: https://www.rankiteo.com/company/columbia-university
Clemson University TPRM report: https://www.rankiteo.com/company/clemson-university
"id": "darharpricolcle1767881845",
"linkid": "dartmouth-college, harvard-university, princeton-university, columbia-university, clemson-university",
"type": "Breach",
"date": "1/2026",
"severity": "85",
"impact": "4",
"explanation": "Attack with significant impact with customers data leaks"{'affected_entities': [{'customers_affected': 'Thousands of students, faculty, '
'and staff',
'industry': 'Higher Education',
'location': 'United States',
'name': 'University of Pennsylvania',
'size': 'Large',
'type': 'University'},
{'customers_affected': 'Thousands of students, faculty, '
'and staff',
'industry': 'Higher Education',
'location': 'United States',
'name': 'Harvard University',
'size': 'Large',
'type': 'University'},
{'customers_affected': 'Thousands of students, faculty, '
'and staff',
'industry': 'Higher Education',
'location': 'United States',
'name': 'Princeton University',
'size': 'Large',
'type': 'University'},
{'customers_affected': 'Thousands of students, faculty, '
'and staff',
'industry': 'Higher Education',
'location': 'United States',
'name': 'Columbia University',
'size': 'Large',
'type': 'University'},
{'customers_affected': 'Thousands of students, faculty, '
'and staff',
'industry': 'Higher Education',
'location': 'United States',
'name': 'Dartmouth College',
'size': 'Large',
'type': 'University'},
{'customers_affected': 'Thousands of students, faculty, '
'and staff',
'industry': 'Higher Education',
'location': 'United States',
'name': 'New York University',
'size': 'Large',
'type': 'University'}],
'attack_vector': 'Social Engineering (Phone-based Phishing)',
'data_breach': {'personally_identifiable_information': 'Likely (e.g., Social '
'Security numbers, '
'payroll data)',
'sensitivity_of_data': 'High (personal and potentially '
'sensitive information)',
'type_of_data_compromised': 'Personal data, potentially '
'including personally '
'identifiable information'},
'description': 'In the past two months, the University of Pennsylvania, '
'Harvard University, and Princeton University have fallen '
'victim to data breaches attributed to social engineering '
'attacks, specifically phone-based phishing. Earlier in 2025, '
'Columbia University, Dartmouth College, and New York '
'University also experienced similar incidents. These breaches '
'highlight vulnerabilities in higher education cybersecurity '
'infrastructure.',
'impact': {'brand_reputation_impact': 'Reputational damage to affected '
'universities',
'data_compromised': 'Personal data of students, faculty, and staff',
'identity_theft_risk': 'High (potential exposure of personally '
'identifiable information)',
'operational_impact': 'Disruption of university operations, '
'increased security protocols',
'systems_affected': 'Internal university systems'},
'initial_access_broker': {'entry_point': 'Phone-based phishing (social '
'engineering)'},
'investigation_status': 'Ongoing',
'lessons_learned': 'Universities are highly vulnerable to cyberattacks due to '
'decentralized IT structures, lack of centralized control, '
'and human error. Cybersecurity training and awareness are '
'critical but not sufficient alone. There is a need for '
'better collaboration between IT departments and faculty '
'to balance security with academic freedom.',
'post_incident_analysis': {'corrective_actions': ["Removing hackers' access "
'to systems',
'Stepping up security '
'protocols',
'Enhancing cybersecurity '
'training for faculty and '
'staff'],
'root_causes': ['Human error (falling for phishing '
'attacks)',
'Decentralized IT departments '
'creating inconsistent security '
'protocols',
'Lack of centralized control over '
'technology use',
'Excessive data retention (e.g., '
'storing Social Security numbers '
'unnecessarily)',
'Faculty resistance to IT policies '
'due to perceived restrictions on '
'academic freedom']},
'recommendations': ['Implement more centralized IT control to reduce '
'vulnerabilities from decentralized departments.',
'Enhance cybersecurity training and awareness programs, '
'focusing on non-punitive approaches.',
'Limit data retention to reduce the risk of exposure '
'(e.g., avoid storing unnecessary sensitive data like '
'Social Security numbers).',
'Foster partnerships between IT, security teams, and '
'faculty to align research needs with cybersecurity '
'protocols.',
'Adopt adaptive security measures like behavioral WAFs '
'and enhanced monitoring to detect and respond to threats '
'more effectively.'],
'references': [{'source': 'Chronicle of Higher Education'}],
'response': {'communication_strategy': 'Public statements to stakeholders',
'containment_measures': "Removed hackers' access to internal "
'systems',
'incident_response_plan_activated': 'Yes',
'remediation_measures': 'Stepped up security protocols'},
'stakeholder_advisories': 'Universities have issued public statements to '
'stakeholders about the breaches and steps taken to '
'mitigate risks.',
'title': 'Multiple University Data Breaches Due to Social Engineering Attacks',
'type': 'Data Breach',
'vulnerability_exploited': 'Human error, lack of centralized IT control, '
'decentralized IT departments'}