Columbia University breach attributed to politically motivated hacker

New York-based Columbia University has linked last week's cyberattack that led to extensive student document theft and a momentary systems shutdown to a sophisticated politically motivated hacktivist, according to The Associated Press.

Additional details regarding the possible political bent of the intrusion were not provided by a Columbia spokesperson, who noted an ongoing investigation into the attack's connection to the display of President Donald Trump's photo on multiple public monitors across the campus during the compromise. "We are investigating the scope of the apparent theft and will share our findings with the University community as well as anyone whose personal information was compromised," said the spokesperson. Such a development comes amid ongoing negotiations regarding Trump's threat to remove $400 million in federal funding over the university's lacking response to pro-Palestinian demonstrations, as well as follows the March breach of New York University, which had been launched in retaliation to the university's nonadherence to the Supreme Court's prohibition of affirmative action in admissions.