ShinyHunters exposes Harvard, UPenn data

TechCrunch reports that Harvard University and the University of Pennsylvania had data purportedly stolen from their respective systems in separate breaches last year leaked by the ShinyHunters hacking operation, which laid claim to both attacks.

Analysis of a sample of over a million records from each university published by ShinyHunters on its data leak site matched with data that Harvard and UPenn reported had been compromised in the intrusions, according to TechCrunch. Harvard previously disclosed that email addresses, home and business addresses, phone numbers, donation details, and other biographical details had been stolen following a voice phishing attack.

On the other hand, UPenn had pinned the compromise of information systems associated with its development and alumni activities to a social engineering intrusion. Despite not previously showing political motives, ShinyHunters, which exposed both universities' data following their refusal to negotiate, emphasized that it had breached UPenn over their dissatisfaction with its policies on affirmative action.