Cyber Incident Victim: Salt Lake Community College
Date:
Feb 2021
Location:
United States of America
Summary
A virtual poetry slam hosted by Salt Lake Community College's Black Student Union was disrupted by unknown hackers who infiltrated the event, displaying racist and anti-Black messages alongside inappropriate images of children. The incident, described as a "Zoom bombing," forced the termination of the session and prompted condemnation from college leadership, who emphasized there was no space for hate speech on campus. An investigation involving campus public safety, state law enforcement, and IT departments is ongoing to identify those responsible. Support services were mobilized for affected students, with college officials reaffirming commitments to inclusive spaces amid broader concerns about targeted online racism.
| 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 February 4, 2021, during a virtual Black History Month poetry slam hosted by Salt Lake Community College's Black Student Union, unidentified individuals hijacked the open-invitation Zoom event. The attackers displayed racist and anti-Black messages alongside inappropriate images depicting children, forcing organizers to terminate the session prematurely. The poetry slam represented the first of four scheduled events organized by SLCC’s Office of Diversity and Multicultural Affairs, intended as a platform for creative expression and community celebration. College President Deneece Huftalin described the incident as an "inexcusable affront" to what was meant to be a liberating space, emphasizing that the hackers intentionally exploited the event's open-access format to disseminate hateful content. SLCC spokesman Joy Tlou characterized the intrusion as a "Zoom bombing" incident, acknowledging the college's vulnerability to such disruptions despite its commitment to inclusive community programming.
The attack prompted immediate condemnation from institutional leadership and external stakeholders. President Huftalin notified students of the incident via letter, stating SLCC Public Safety, Utah Highway Patrol, and the college’s Office of Information Technology had launched an active investigation with intent to pursue disciplinary action against perpetrators. Utah State Representative Sandra Hollins, the legislature’s sole Black member, publicly denounced the racism exhibited during the event while commending the administration’s swift response. On-campus support resources—including the Office of Diversity and Multicultural Affairs, Dean of Students Office, and SLCC Center for Health and Counseling—mobilized to assist affected students, with specific recognition given to multicultural initiatives manager Glory Johnson-Stanton and student affairs staff for their crisis intervention. Huftalin framed the incident within broader national patterns of anti-Black racism, asserting the college’s zero-tolerance policy for hate speech while urging community attendance at remaining Black History Month events to reinforce solidarity. The disruption underscored operational security challenges associated with publicly accessible virtual events during a period of heightened awareness regarding systemic inequities.