Cyber Incident Victim: Gonzaga University Black Student Union
Date:
Nov 2020
Location:
United States of America
Summary
Hackers disrupted a virtual meeting hosted by Gonzaga University's Black Student Union, infiltrating the session with offensive screen names and subjecting participants to racial and homophobic slurs while sharing explicit content. The attackers' IP addresses, identified by the university's IT team as both domestic and international, were provided to law enforcement, prompting joint investigations by the FBI and local police. The incident led the institution to reinforce Zoom security protocols and advise campus groups on safeguarding virtual gatherings, reflecting broader concerns over such disruptions amid increased reliance on remote platforms.
| CIA Posture | Motives | Tactics, Techniques & Procedures |
|---|---|---|
| Available to members | 1 motive | 1 technique |
| Threat Actors | Type | Location |
|---|---|---|
| 0 actors | Available to members | Available to members |
Description
On November 8, 2020, unidentified individuals disrupted a virtual Zoom meeting hosted by Gonzaga University’s Black Student Union (BSU). The meeting, intended for students to discuss the U.S. election, was infiltrated by attackers using offensive screen names. These intruders shouted racial and homophobic slurs at participants and displayed pornography through screen-sharing functions. The hacking incident, classified as a “Zoom-bombing,” involved unauthorized access to the private meeting, violating the platform’s security protocols. Gonzaga’s IT department responded by capturing technical data from the compromised session, including logs and IP addresses associated with the attackers. Analysis revealed the IP addresses originated from both domestic and international sources, though specific locations or attacker identities remained undisclosed. University leadership confirmed the incident in a public letter, condemning the hate speech and graphic content.
The attack prompted immediate investigations by the Spokane Police Department’s criminal investigation unit and the FBI. Gonzaga University alerted students, staff, and campus organizations to Zoom’s built-in security features, such as meeting passwords and waiting rooms, to prevent future intrusions. Administrators emphasized the necessity of virtual safety measures amid rising Zoom-bombing incidents targeting educational institutions during the COVID-19 pandemic. As a direct response to the trauma inflicted on BSU members, the university hired a therapist specializing in support for Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) communities. The incident underscored broader vulnerabilities in remote learning infrastructures while highlighting the targeted harassment faced by minority student groups. No arrests or claims of responsibility were disclosed in the initial reports.