A person claiming to be involved in the recent University of Pennsylvania hack has announced that approximately 1.2 million lines of data from the institution will remain private as the group intends to sell it before making it public. It is also stated that additional documents will be released to the public.
In a conversation with The Verge, the individual, or group, distanced themselves from previous hacks at other universities aimed at exposing pro-diversity policies. Their stated aim was to access a wealthy donor database. The hacker referred to an email containing derogatory remarks about university admissions as a “fun rant,” asserting it was not a principal motivation. The leaked materials reportedly include internal documents related to congressional testimony from former university president Liz Magill.
Ron Ozio, head of media relations at Penn, has not yet responded to inquiries regarding the incident. However, the university released a statement indicating that an investigation into the breach is ongoing and that the matter has been reported to the FBI.
Data samples shared with The Verge included personal information from a donor database, such as emails, phone numbers, and addresses belonging to some individuals, who confirmed that the information was accurate.
Documents already available on a site called Leakforum include details pertaining to Magill’s resignation following a controversial statement regarding potential violations of university code of conduct. The alleged hacker stated they have retained data dating back several decades and provided evidence of individuals listed as deceased.
The hacker indicated that they targeted Penn due to its relatively weak authentication systems and expressed interest in obtaining information on ultra-high-net-worth individuals. Among the reported data are claims regarding former President Joe Biden and members of his family.
Overall, the motivations of the different hackers involved in attacks on educational institutions continue to raise questions about the underlying objectives.
Source: https://www.theverge.com/policy/812700/university-pennsylvania-hack-data-sale-dei