Cyber Incident Victim: Salem State University
Date:
May 2017
Location:
United States of America
Summary
The university's Twitter account was compromised, resulting in unauthorized racist tweets referencing political figures and containing offensive language targeting immigrants and the Black Lives Matter movement. Officials swiftly condemned the content, emphasizing it did not reflect institutional values, deleted the posts, and notified followers of the breach. The institution implemented additional security measures with its IT team and expressed regret that the incident occurred before commencement ceremonies, though it noted the event proceeded without significant disruption to graduates' celebrations.
| CIA Posture | Motives | Tactics, Techniques & Procedures |
|---|---|---|
| Available to members | 3 motives | 1 technique |
| Threat Actors | Type | Location |
|---|---|---|
| 0 actors | Available to members | Available to members |
Description
On May 19, 2017, Salem State University’s official Twitter account was compromised by an unauthorized actor, resulting in the publication of multiple racist and inflammatory tweets. The tweets began appearing on Friday night and included derogatory language targeting minorities, immigrants, and the Black Lives Matter movement. One tweet praised former President Donald Trump while using a racial slur to disparage his predecessor, while another declared the university’s education system prioritized “white working Americans” and accused immigrants of being “thieves.” A third tweet dismissed the Black Lives Matter movement as “unneeded and unnecessary.” The tweets were deleted shortly after midnight, though the exact timeframe of the hack remains unspecified. University spokesperson Nicole Giambusso condemned the language, emphasizing it did not reflect Salem State’s values. Some graduating students downplayed the incident’s impact, with one noting they were “glad people weren’t affected by it and were able to brush it off.”
Salem State University issued a formal statement on May 20, 2017, reaffirming its rejection of the hateful content and apologizing for the breach. The university notified its social media followers of the compromise and collaborated with its IT department to implement additional security safeguards, though specific technical measures were not disclosed. Officials described the incident as “incredibly unfortunate” given its timing on the eve of commencement ceremonies for over 1,400 graduating students. The statement stressed a commitment to preventing the incident from overshadowing the accomplishments of the graduating class and urged the community to move forward collectively. No threat actor was identified, and the investigation’s scope or conclusions were not detailed in the available reporting. The incident drew local media attention but did not disrupt graduation events, as per student and administrative accounts.