Columbia University data breach hits 870,000 people

Columbia University recently experienced a data breach that exposed sensitive information of nearly 869,000 individuals. The breach included the disclosure of names, Social Security numbers, and academic records. The university began notifying affected individuals in August, although the exact timeline of the breach is unclear. The scope of the incident is significant, as it impacted a large number of people, including current and former students, faculty, staff, and other affiliates of the institution. Columbia University has not provided details on the nature or cause of the breach, nor has it specified the measures it is taking to address the situation and prevent similar incidents in the future. However, the university has stated that it is working with law enforcement and cybersecurity experts to investigate the breach and mitigate the potential harm to those affected. The data breach has raised concerns about the security of sensitive personal information held by educational institutions and the importance of robust data protection measures to safeguard against such incidents.