Cyber Incident Victim: Columbia University
Date:
Jun 2025
Location:
United States of America
Summary
Columbia University experienced a suspected cyberattack that caused an IT outage affecting systems on its Morningside campus, including email and the CourseWorks portal used for assignments. Officials described the incident as a low‑level access control breach that triggered bizarre images on campus screens, with one dorm TV showing a picture of President Trump. The university notified law enforcement and warned the community to stay logged into accounts while services were restored, noting that no clinical operations at CUIMC were impacted. Claims of responsibility posted online were later debunked by the institution.
| CIA Posture | Motives | Tactics, Techniques & Procedures |
|---|---|---|
| Available to members | 2 motives | 1 technique |
| Threat Actors | Type | Location |
|---|---|---|
| 0 actors | Available to members | Available to members |
Description
On Tuesday morning, Columbia University’s IT systems experienced an outage that affected services on the Morningside campus, as stated in a university release. The university first alerted the community around 7:30 a.m. via email about widespread system outages. The IT team began working to restore services as quickly as possible and notified law enforcement of the incident. Officials said that no clinical operations at the Columbia University Irving Medical Center were impacted by the outage.
Sources told the New York Post that a low‑level access control breach was responsible for bringing down the systems early that morning. The suspected hack caused bizarre images to appear on screens across campus, though officials were uncertain whether those images were linked to the broader outage. At least one dormitory television displayed an image of President Trump, according to a photo obtained by the Columbia Spectator. Several student services, including the university email system and the CourseWorks portal used by professors to share assignments, were disrupted by the outage. The Columbia Spectator also reported online posts from a group claiming responsibility for the outage, a claim that the university later debunked.
The New York Police Department said it had no knowledge of a potential hack or outage on the Manhattan campus, and it remained unclear which law enforcement agency was leading the investigation. The university statement noted that efforts to restore services continued, and about three hours after the initial alert students and faculty were urged to stay logged into their accounts to maintain access to online services. The article also noted that Americans nationwide had been warned to brace for a potential wave of cyberattacks from Iran following Trump’s historic bombing of three of the country’s nuclear facilities on the preceding Saturday.